Doctor at Sea

next ten minutes.’ The girl swallowed her glassful swiftly, like a bad medicine.
    ‘You buy me another t’rink, no?’
    The waiter gave her a second glass, and another counter.
    ‘This is going to work out expensive,’ I said.
    ‘All on me, Doc,’ Hornbeam said grandly.’ Tell her to send her friends over.’
    Two more girls appeared and started drinking with the frightening rapidity of their companion. However, we all became very friendly, and Hornbeam ordered some more champagne.
    When Trail fell asleep on the table I said, ’Hadn’t we better get the bill, Chief? I could do with some sleep myself.’
    ‘Mozo!’ Hornbeam demanded.’ Bill, pronto!’
    It was given to him immediately, neatly folded on a plate. He scowled at the figures, and began counting notes from his pocket.
    ‘You buy me anot’er t’rink, no?’ said the blonde.
    ’No. The bar’s down.’
    She got up and walked away.
    ‘Say, Doc,’ Hornbeam called.’ Can you lend me five hundred pesos?’
    ‘What!’
    ‘I seem to be a bit short.’ Hornbeam spread his notes on the table. He had been carried away by his generosity into a ditch of insolvency.
    We searched in our pockets, waking Trail up to join.
    ‘Ninety-eight pesos,’ Archer said. ‘That’s all we can muster.’
    Hornbeam looked shiftily over his shoulder. The waiter, with that second sight which waiters have, was aware that some hitch had arisen and threw dark glances at us. Visions of Argentine prisons shimmered before my eyes: I was sure the Buenos Aires police would arrest with the alacrity of their comrades in Santos.
    ‘This is serious,’ I said. ‘Hasn’t anyone got any money at all?’
    We searched our pockets again.
    ‘Not a centavo,’ Trail said. ‘I’ve got a couple of bob though.’
    ‘Someone will have to go back to the ship and raise the wind,’ Archer said. ‘That’s all there is for it. The others will sit here and pretend they’re enjoying themselves. We’ll toss for who goes.’
    We tossed a twenty-centavo piece. I lost.
    ‘Better take the ninety-eight pesos and see if you can get a cab,’ Hornbeam said. ‘Make it snappy. Ten pound notes will cover it at black-market rates.’
    I stood outside in the hot dry air, already feeling the apprehending hand on my shoulder. I saw an empty cab on the other side of the street and leapt towards it.
    ‘Dock Sul,’ I said.
    But the driver could take me only as far as the rowing boat. I had to cross the river and walk alone across the railway tracks to the ship. I strode breathlessly along the middle of the road, looking behind me more than in front. A cat leapt across my path from shadow to shadow and I yelped. I ran through the dock gates and up the gangway.
    The Lotus was dead. The quartermaster was in a chair by the gangway, asleep. Everyone not ashore was in their bunks, wallowing in the deep unhindered unconsciousness of watch-keepers in port.
    I thought my best chance was represented by the Chief Engineer. He was lying with his mouth open on top of his bunk.
    ‘Chief!’ I called softly. I shook him. ’Chief!’
    He stopped snoring and grunted.
    ‘Chief! Wake up!’
    He opened his eyes.
    ‘Stop the feed pumps and stand-by all engineers,’ he said.
    ‘No Chief! It’s the Doc. Can you lend me some money?’
    ‘Money? What for, man? At this hour of night.’
    ‘I’ll explain later. But I must have it now. In a hurry.’
    ‘Wait till I put my teeth in, lad.’
    He gave me five pound notes. The rest I collected by rousing Whimble, the Second Steward, three or four of the engineers, and Easter.
    I ran back to the ferry, crumpling the notes in my hands. I had to walk half a mile up the long road to the City before I found a taxi. When I jumped out I found my expedition had taken the best part of an hour, and the Saratoga was rising to a final burst of activity before closing for the night. I looked in nervously, wondering if my companions had already been extracted by the police, or had generously been allowed to wash dishes in the basement.
    Neither of these misfortunes had occurred to them. In my absence they had all drawn a second wind and were enjoying themselves hugely. They had three new girls and another bottle of champagne.
    ‘I’ve got the money,’ I said breathlessly, falling into a chair.
    ‘Ah, there’s the old Doc!’ Hornbeam said with surprise.’ Where did you come from?’
    ‘I went to get some money to pay the bill,’ I said angrily.’ Don’t you