Part 27 (1/2)

”Well, well!” Toain ”There's many a man in this harbour would jump at the chance; but there's never another so honest that I could trust hirowled; ”but not reed, with a covert little sneer and grin; ”not you”

”'Tis a prison offense, hed ”An' tell e Rumm, is _I_ ever been cotched?”

”I'm not sayin' you is”

”No; nor never will be”

It had all been talked over before, of course; and it would be talked over again before a fortnight was past and the _Black Eagle_ had set sail for the French Shore with a valuable cargo Toerly; he had proceeded with exquisite caution; he had ventured a bit more; at last he had come boldly out with the plan Manned with care--manned as she could be and as Tole_ was the shi+p for the purpose; and Skipper George, with a reputation for bad sea _would_ be easy Toe knew it It could be successfully done There was no doubt about it; and Skipper George hated to think that there was no doubt about it The ease and safety hich he ht have the money tumble into his pocket troubled hiravation He found hi about it too often; he wanted to put it out of his mind, but could not

”Now, Torily, ”let's have no more o' this I'm fair tired of it I'll have nothin' t' do with it; an' I tells you so, once an' for all”

”Pass the bottle,” said Tom Tulk

The bottle went from hand to hand

”We'll say no e, that that little clerk o' yours, Toot un handy”

”Belay, belay!”

”Ay, ay, Skipper George,” Too o' fish into St John's harbour without tellin' where it came from, if there's any ot up and pulled open the hatch

”I'll see you again,” said Tole_ helped hireat body and sly face It was true, all that Too bad It was true about the creith hands scarce, and able-bodied young fellows bound to the Sidney e could shi+p who fish into St John's without accounting whence it came Tom Tulk could do it; nobody would ask eccentric old Toh It was true about the skipper himself; it was quite true that his reputation was none of the best as a sailing-ht say he had come near it, if they liked; but he had never lost a shi+p yet No, sir; he had never lost a shi+p yet Nor would he He'd fetch the _Black Eagle_ ho!

But the thing would be easy It was disgustingly easy in prospect

Skipper George wished that old To To would be!

The first hand put his head in the hatchway to tell Skipper George that he was to report to Sir Archibald Are was not quite easy about the three dra for it but to appear in the office without delay As aout of the way He had soe about the way to sail a schooner--about tis, and putting out to sea, and running for harbour When he had finished--and he spoke long and earnestly, with his blue eyes flashi+ng, his head in the air, his teeth snapping once in a while--when Sir Archibald had finished, Skipper George was standing with his cap in his hand, his face flushed, answering, ”Yes, sir,” and, ”No, sir,” in a way of the meekest When he left the office he was unpleasantly aware that he was face to face with his last chance In this new trouble he forgot all about To counsel with hiot t' do better”

Hetime

”I _will_ do better,” he determined ”I'll show un that I can sail a schooner”

Before he stoay for the night, a little resenthts of Sir Archibald He had never felt this way before