"Oh! I don’t want to hear it all over again. You’ve already told me twice how you assisted two ladies in Kensington, how they took you to their house, and gave you a dose of drug. Then, how you found yourself imprisoned in a house, and all that long rigmarole. Spare me again—won’t you?" the captain begged. Durrant stood aghast. "But I’ve never told you anything about it!" he said. "I’ve never told a living soul about my strange adventure." "Look here, Mr. Simpson," said the captain, rising from his chair with slow deliberation. "I’m beginning to think that you’re not quite in your right senses. You told us all about it last night in this very cabin—how you had been entrapped, drugged, and taken away." "Yes. That is quite true, but I have never told anyone of it." "Well, the less you say about that affair the better, I think. Nobody will believe you." "But don’t you think I’m telling the truth?" "No. I know you are not. Morton told me that you were obsessed by the belief that you’ve been the victim of some very cunning plot, and that you were drugged," said the captain. "Now, just forget all about it, and enjoy your trip!" he added good-humouredly. "Ah! This person, Morton, has told you, has he? He told you so as to discredit me when I explained to you the truth," cried Durrant. "But what I have told you are the true facts." "Oh, of course they are!" laughed the captain. "But don’t let us discuss it any more." "Where did I come on board?" "Why, at Hull, of course. Four days ago." "At Hull!" gasped Gerald. "I have no recollections of ever having been in Hull." "Neither have you any recollections of ever having been born, eh?" remarked Bowden, with biting sarcasm. "Did Morton bring me on board?" "Certainly." "And he paid you to take me on this trip?" "No, excuse me. We pay you. You’ve signed on as steward at a bob a day wages. We’re not licensed to carry passengers. The Board o’ Trade don’t like such old tubs as the _Pentyrch_. Yet she’s a good old boat, I’ll say that much for her. You’ll see England again all right, never fear—unless the bloomin’ boilers burst. They’re none too strong, I’m afraid." "You’re not over cheerful, Captain Bowden," the young man remarked, more puzzled than ever at the extraordinary situation. "Oh, I’m cheerful enough. It’s you who seems to be a-worryin’ over things." "Well, and wouldn’t you worry if you were drugged, waking first to find yourself locked in a strange room, and then again wakening a second time to discover yourself at sea?" "You want rest, my dear young fellow—rest! And you’ll get it here on the old tub. The weather will be better when we get along the West Coast." "How can I send a message to London?" "We ain’t got wireless. Too expensive for such a hooker as this. It means an operator with lightnin’ round his cap. So you’ll have to wait till we get to Singapore, and then you can cable."