“That is why I interceded in their behalf, and it is very kind of you, captain, to make it possible for them to better themselves, for idle men in these ports fall into evil, and it is best that they should keep to the sea.  They were both well spoken of by Mr. Marley, who has charge of the Sailors’ Home.”

“Two sailors that I see?” Trego asked the captain.

“Mr. Meeker brought two men aboard with him to carry his gear,” explained Riggs.  “They wanted to get out of Manila, and, as I was short-handed for chinks, I let ’em work their passage.  They signed with the commissioner, and will get four Hong-Kong dollars for the trip.”

Trego frowned as he toyed with a bamboo napkin-ring, but said nothing.

“Your red-headed chap is a good man at the helm,” said Riggs to me.  “He’s got the wheel now, and, with the other two, I’ll have good quartermasters.  The chinkies are poor steerers.”

“Meester Trenholm ees breeng a sailor, too?” demanded Trego, turning his black eyes on me in a manner that I could not understand.

“He brought my baggage aboard,” said I, somewhat annoyed.  “He offered his services to Captain Riggs, and was hired, and it is no affair of mine.”

“The little man with hair of red?” persisted Trego.

“Decidedly red.”

Knowing, as I did, that he had charge of the ship—­a fact which he evidently wished to keep from Meeker and me, judging from his signals to the captain—­I understood in a way his interest in the crew.

“Pardon, captain,” said Trego abruptly.  “I must go to my cabeen for some cigarettes.  Soon I will return.  I hope you will be here.”

It struck me that his suggestion that Captain Riggs wait for him was more in the nature of a command than a request.

Rajah served coffee again, and the three of us fell silent.  It was an awkward situation, for we all felt embarrassed—­at least I did, as a result of Trego’s displeasure over the method of recruiting the crew.  I wished that I had left Petrak on the dock.

Meeker took an old newspaper from his pocket and unfolded it on the table carefully.

“I think I have something here which will interest you both,” he began.  “It concerns—­my glasses!  Will you pardon me for a minute while I get my glasses from my room?  I’ll be back presently,” and he bowed himself out.

“The old shark is funny,” said Riggs.  “I hold to what I have said about parsons—­I don’t like ’em aboard me.”

I glanced at the passage and wondered if I would have time to whisper to Riggs about Meeker before the latter returned.

“He wants to hold some sort of service for’ard this evening,” continued the captain.  “I’m suited if the crew is.  It’s not that I’m against the sailing directions in the Bible, mind, Mr. Trenholm, or an ungodly man, for I was a deacon back home in Maine.  I don’t like this chap—­he looks too slippery to suit me.”