'
To hear him, you become aware that Alick himself had a taste for
virtue. He thought his own idleness and the other's industry equally
becoming. He was no more anxious to insure his own reputation as a
liar than to uphold the truthfulness of his companion; and he seemed
unaware of what was incongruous in his attitude, and was plainly
sincere in both characters.
It was not surprising that he should take an interest in the
Devonian, for the lad worshipped and served him in love and wonder.
Busy as he was, he would find time to warn Alick of an approaching
officer, or even to tell him that the coast was clear, and he might
slip off and smoke a pipe in safety. 'Tom,' he once said to him, for
that was the name which Alick ordered him to use, 'if you don't like
going to the galley, I'll go for you. You ain't used to this kind of
thing, you ain't. But I'm a sailor; and I can understand the
feelings of any fellow, I can.' Again, he was hard up, and casting
about for some tobacco, for he was not so liberally used in this
respect as others perhaps less worthy, when Alick offered him the
half of one of his fifteen sticks.
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