Jimmy considered the conical, fowl-like profile with a queer kind of interest;he was leaning out of his bunk with the calculating, uncertain expression of a man who reflects how best to lay hold of some strange creature that looks as though it could sting or bite. But he said only: -- ‘The mate will miss you -- and there will be ructions.’Donkin got up to go. ‘I will do for 'im hon some dark night, see hif I don't,’ he said over his shoulder.
Jimmy went on quickly: -- ‘You're like a poll-parrot, like a screechin' poll-parrot.’ Donkin stopped and cocked his head attentively on one side. His big ears stood our, transparent and veined, resembling the thin wings of a bat.
‘Yuss?’ he said, with his back towards Jimmy.
‘Yes! Chatter out all you know -- like....like a dirty white cockatoo.’Donkin waited. He could hear the other's breathing, long and slow; the breathing of a man with a hundredweight or so on the breast-bone.
Then he asked calmly: -- ‘What do I know?’‘What?....What I tell you....not much. What do you want....to talk about my health so....’‘Hit's a bloomin' himposyshun. A bloomin', stinkin', first-class himposyshun -- but hit don't tyke me hin. Not hit.’Jimmy kept still. Donkin put his hands in his pockets, and in one slouching stride came up to the bunk.
‘I talk -- what's the hodds. They hain't men here -- sheep they hare. A driven lot of sheep. I 'old you hup.... Vy not?
you're well hoff.’
‘I am....I don't say anything about that.....’‘Well, Let 'em see hit. Let 'em larn what a man can do. I ham a man. I know hall about yer..... ’Jimmy threw himself further away on the pillow; the other stretched out his skinny neck, jerked his bird face down at him as though pecking at the eyes. ‘Iham a man. I've seen the hinside of every chokey in the Colonis rather'n give hup my rights.....’‘You are a jail-prop,’ said Jimmy weakly.
‘I ham....an' proud of it too. You! You 'aven't the bloomin'
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nerve -- so you hinvented this 'ere dodge.....’ He paused, then with marked afterthought accentuated slowly: -- ‘Yer ain't sick -- hare yer?’‘No,’ said Jimmy firmly. ‘Been out of sorts now and again this year,’ he mumbled with a sudden drop in his voice.
Donkin closed one eye, amicable and confidential. He whispered:
-- ‘Ye 'ave done it afore -- aven'tchee?’ Jimmy smiled -- then as if unable to hold back he let himself go: -- ‘Last ship -- yes. I was out of sorts on the passage. See? It was easy. They paid me off in Calcutta, and the skipper made no bones about it either.....Igot my money all right. Laid up fifty-eight days! The fools! O Lord! The fools! Paid right off.’ He laughed spasmodically. Donkin chummed giggling. Then Jimmy coughed violently. ‘I am as well as ever,’he said, as soon as he could draw breath.
Donkin made a derisive gesture. ‘In course,’he said profoundly, ‘hany one can see that.’ -- ‘They don't.’ said Jimmy, gasping like a fish. -- -- ‘They would swallow any yarn,’ affirmed Donkin. -- ‘Don't you let on too much,’ admonished Jimmy in an exhausted voice.
-- ‘Your little gyme? Eh?’ commented Donkin jovially.
Then with sudden disgust: ‘Yer hall for yerself, s'long has ye're right.....’So charged with egoism James Wait pulled the blanket up to his chin and lay still for awhile. His heavy lips protruded in an everlasting black pout. ‘Why are you so hot on ****** trouble?’he asked without much interest.
‘Cos hit's a bloomin' shayme. We hare put hon....bad food, bad pay.... I want hus to kick up a bloomin' row; a blamed 'owling row that would make 'em remember! Knocking people habout....brain hus....hindeed!
Ain't we men?’ His altruistic indignation blazed. Then he said calmly; -- ‘I've been a-hairing of yer clothes’ --‘All right,’ said Jimmy languidly, ‘bring them in.’ -- ‘Giv' us the key of your chest, I'll put 'em away for yer,’ said Donkin with friendly eagerness. -- ‘Bring 'em in, I will put them away myself.’ answered James Wait with severity. Donkin looked down, muttering.....‘What d'you say?
What d'you say?’ inquired Wait anxiously, -- ‘Nothink.
The night's dry, let 'em 'ang out till the morning,’ said Donkin, in a strangely trembling voice, as though restraining laughter or rage.
Jimmy seemed satisfied. -- ‘Give me a little water for the night in my mug -- there,’he said.
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Donkin took a stride over the doorstep. -- ‘Git it yerself,’he replied in a surly tone. ‘You can do it, hunless you hare sick.’-- ‘Of course I can do it,’ said Wait, ‘only....’-- ‘Well, then, do it.’ said Donkin viciously, ‘if yer can look hafter yer clothes, yer can look hafter yerself.’He went on deck without a look back.
