He looked languid and his voice was soft, but Cartwright admitted his speech was clever.
He and Mrs.Cartwright, whom he represented, owned shares in the line, and he had not risen before because the chairman was his relation.

Now, when attacks, perhaps not altogether justified, had been made on the Board, he was forced to state his conviction that nobody else could have steered the company past the dangers that threatened.

One must admit the situation was bad; and for a minute or two Mortimer cleverly indicated its drawbacks.

For all that, he argued, it was rash to change pilot and officers in the middle of a storm.

The officers they knew and had trusted must be left control until the gale blew over.
Mortimer sat down and Cartwright knitted his brows.