Explore "A Master of Craft" by W.W. Jacobs on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
He looked expectantly on the cabin table for a letter upon his return to the ship, but was disappointed, and the only letter yielded by the post next morning came from Captain Barber. It was couched in terms of great resignation, and after bemoaning the unfortunate skipper's untimely demise in language of great strength, wound up with a little Scripture and asked the mate to act as master and sail the schooner home.
"You'll act as mate, Ben, to take her back," said the new skipper, thrusting the letter in his pocket.