That I had not was also fortunate--things seemed to be turning out luckily for me all round,--because Mr.Pertwee felt sure I could not do better than keep on Mr.Goyles, at present in charge--an excellent skipper, so Mr.Pertwee assured me, a man who knew the sea as a man knows his own wife, and who had never lost a life.
It was still early in the day, and the yacht was lying off Harwich.

I caught the ten forty-five from Liverpool Street, and by one o'clock was talking to Mr.Goyles on deck.

He was a stout man, and had a fatherly way with him.

I told him my idea, which was to take the outlying Dutch islands and then creep up to Norway.

He said, "Aye, aye, sir," and appeared quite enthusiastic about the trip; said he should enjoy it himself.