You must know that I am not in the service of a shipowner.

My share in the schooner is considerable, and I have no one but myself to consult in respect to her." "Then it entirely depends on you to give me a passage ?" "That is so, but I can only answer you by a refusal--to my extreme regret." "Perhaps you will change your mind, captain, when you know that I care very little what the destination of your schooner may be.

It is not unreasonable to suppose that she will go somewhere--" "Somewhere indeed." I fancied that Captain Len Guy threw a long look towards the southern horizon.
"To go here or to go there is almost a matter of indifference to me.

What I desired above all was to get away from Kerguelen at the first opportunity that should offer." Captain Len Guy made me no answer; he remained in silent thought, but did not endeavour to slip away from me.
"You are doing me the honour to listen to me ?" I asked him sharply.
"Yes, sir." "I will then add that, if I am not mistaken, and if the route of your ship has not been altered, it was your intention to leave Christmas Harbour for Tristan d' Acunha." "Perhaps for Tristan d'Acunha, perhaps for the Cape, perhaps for the Falklands, perhaps for elsewhere." "Well, then, Captain Guy, it is precisely elsewhere that I want to go," I replied ironically, and trying hard to control my irritation.
Then a singular change took place in the demeanour of Captain Len Guy.

His voice became more sharp and harsh.