On this Skinner got up all in a hurry and offered to go into the office.
“On no account,” said Mr. Hardie sharply. “I shall make my business with you the excuse for cutting this love-nonsense mighty short. Take your book to the desk, and seem buried in it.”
He then touched the bell, and both confederates fell into an attitude: never were a pair so bent over their little accounts--lies, like themselves.
Instead of the heart-broken father their comedy awaited, in came the gallant sailor with a brown cheek reddened by triumph and excitement and almost shouted in a genial jocund voice, “How d'ye do sir? It is a long time since I came across your hawse.” And with this he held out his hand cordially. Hardie gave his mechanically, and remained on his guard, but somewhat puzzled. Dodd shook his cold hand heartily. “Well, sir, here I am, just come ashore, and visiting you before my very wife; what d'ye think of that?”
“I am highly honoured, sir,” said Hardie: then, rather stiffly and incredulously, “and to what may I owe this extraordinary preference? Will you be good enough to state the purport of this visit--briefly--as Mr. Skinner and I are much occupied?”
“The purport? Why, what does one come to a banker about? I have got a lot of money I want to get rid of.”
Hardie stared, but was as much on his guard as ever; only more and more puzzled.
Then David winked at him with simple cunning, took out his knife, undid his shirt, and began to cut the threads which bound the Cash to his flannel.
At this Skinner wheeled round on his stool to look, and both he and Mr. Hardie inspected the unusual pantomime with demure curiosity.
Dodd next removed the oilskin cover, and showed the pocket-book, brought it down with a triumphant smack on the hollow of his hand, and, in the pride of his heart, the joy of his bosom and the fever of his blood--for there were two red spots on his cheek all the time--told the cold pair Its adventures in a few glowing words: the Calcutta firm--the two pirates--the hurricane--the wreck--the land-sharks--he had saved it from. “And here It is, safe in spite of them all. But I won't carry It on me any more: it is unlucky; so you must be so good as to take charge of It for me, sir.”