An Officer But No Gentleman by M. Donice Byrd

He took a draw on his cigar as he eyed the woman sprawled drunkenly in his bunk. Pressing back into the leather wing chair, Charlie propped his booted feet on the desk built into the corner of his quarters. After the fire, Charlie was sent to a local orphanage until his father returned from sea. I’ve been with him ever since.” It was basically true. “He got me out of the orphanage when I was six. I bet he already knows everything the captain does.” “Charlie’s been training to become ship’s master since he wore swaddling clothes. “He could be mate,” Morty said, drunkenly. Why? Were you hoping for the job?”Ĭharlie shook his head.

“Aye,” he answered undisturbed by Charlie’s tale. “If you want the job, I can get you an interview.” Hugh was shaking his head while Morty contentedly smoked his pipe. Michel cleared his throat to keep from chuckling as he raised his mug to his lips. Rosemead offed himself like that.” Charlie would have said just about anything to keep the man in front of him from applying for the job. “He’s the ship’s owner so there’s nobody to sack him if he works the crew to death,” he lied to the astonishment of his friends. “Aye, that’s the scuttlebutt going around the docks.” And he runs a tight ship,” the junior officer said, hoping the Australian would be reluctant to work under a strict captain. However, he knew eventually he would.Ĭharlie looked Lionel Byron in the eye. Charlie had only one voyage under his belt as the second mate and had not had to flog anyone yet. On any ship, the second mate was always the blower-the man in charge of the discipline and who administered the blows of the whip. He must be pretty soft if you’re the blower.” “I was just asking what kind of master the Arcadia has.

An Officer But No Gentleman by M. Donice Byrd