The landlady was Mrs. Coulson, a
widow. Next morning he was at the wharf before daylight, and went
down the Yarra in the first steamer for Williamstown. He found that
Captain Bunbury, the chief harbour-master, had gone away in the
buoy-boat, a small schooner called the 'Apollo', so he hired a
whale-boat, and overtook the schooner off the Red Bluff. When he
went on board he spoke to Ruffles, master of the schooner, and said:
"Is the harbour-master aboard? I want to see him."
"Yes, but don't speak so loud, or you'll wake him up," replied
Ruffles. "He is asleep down below."
Davy roared out, "I want to wake him up. I have come two hundred
miles on purpose to do it. I want to get a settlement about those
buoys at Port Albert. I am tired of writing about them."
This woke up Bunbury, who sang out:
"What's the matter, Ruffles? What's all that noise about?"
"It's the pilot from Port Albert. He wants to see you, sir, about the
buoys."
"Tell him to come down below." Davy went.
Bunbury was a one-armed naval lieutenant, the head of the harbour
department, and drew the salary. He had subordinate officers. A
clerk at Williamstown did his clerical work, and old Ruffles
navigated the 'Apollo' for him through the roaring waters of Port
Philip Bay, while he lay in his bunk meditating on something. He
said:
"Oh, is that you, Pilot? Well, about those buoys, eh? That's all
right.
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