"You don't? You surprise me, you really do. Here are you, with these additional hours lying idle on your hands: you didn't expect 'em, and don't want 'em. But how do you know that you _mayn't_ be glad of 'em at some time or other? Just think how grateful you might be hereafter, if you could get back a single one of these half-hours which you find so tedious now. Half-an-hour on board a fine ship like this, splendid weather, bracing sea-air, perfect rest, pleasant company, and so on--why, you'd be willing to pay any money for it! Well, bank your extra time; and you can draw every individual hour in quarters, halves, or wholes, when you please and _as_ you please. _That's_ the advantage of it, sir!" "I think I see," said Peter: "only, how am I to make the deposit in the first instance?" "That's easily arranged. The captain can't compel you to accept the time now by merely putting back the hands of the clock, can he? So, all _you_ have to do is to abstain from altering your watch so long as you are on board, and to fill up a little form; after which I shall be happy to supply you with a book of Time Cheques, which you can fill up and present whenever you wish to spend a given number of minutes in the pleasantest possible of ways." "But where am I to present these cheques?" inquired Peter. "Oh!" said the Manager, "there will be no difficulty whatever about that. Any clock will cash it for you--provided, of course, that it hasn't stopped. You merely have to slip your cheque underneath or behind it, and you will at once be paid whatever amount of time the cheque is drawn for. I can show you one of our forms if you like?" Here he brought out a bulky leather case, from which he extracted a printed document, which he handed to Peter. Peter, however, being naturally cautious, felt a hesitation which he scarcely liked to confess. "You see," he said, "the fact is, I should like to know first ... I've never been engaged in a--a transaction of this kind before; and, well--what I mean is, do I incur any risk of--er--a supernatural character?... It isn't like that business of Faust's, eh, don't you know?" The Manager took back the paper with an abruptness which showed that his temper was ruffled by this suspicion. "My good sir!" he said, with a short offended laugh, "don't, on any account, imagine that _I_ care two pins whether you become a depositor or not. I daresay our house will continue to exist without your account. As for liability, ours is a limited concern; and, besides, a deposit would not constitute you a shareholder. If you meant anything more--well, I have still to learn that there's anything diabolical about _me_, sir! I simply thought I was doing you a good turn by making the suggestion; and, besides, as a business man, I never neglect any opportunity, however small. But it's entirely as you please, I'm sure." There was nothing in the least demoniacal, even in his annoyance, and Peter was moved to contrition and apology.