Part 32 (2/2)

Skipper George laughed in his turn

”For'ard, there!” the clerk roared, putting his head out of the cabin

”One o' you t' take the skipper ashore!”

Three fishi+ng-schooners, bound down froh a threatening night And with the skippers of these craft, and with the idle folk ashore, Skipper George foregathered Dirty weather? (the skipper declared); sure, 'twas dirty weather But there was no wind on that coast could keep the _Black Eagle_ in harbour No, sir: no wind that blowed Skipper George was sick an' tired o' bein' wigged by Sir Archibald Arin' for _hile_ t' sea in the h or blo, fair wind or foul, 'twould be up anchor an' t' sea for the _Black Eagle_ at dawn Wreck her? Well, let her _go_ t' wreck Orders was orders If the _Black Eagle_ happened t' be picked up by a rock in the fog 'twould be Sir Archibald Are, no ain that he was afraid t' take his schooner t' sea An' orders was orders, sir Yes, sir; orders was orders

”I'm not likin' the job o' takin' e concluded, with a great assue; ”but when I'm told t' drive her, _I'll drive_, an' let the owner take the consequences”

This impressed the Labrador skippers

”Se,” one declared, ”if you do lose her”

Well satisfied with the evidence he had e returned to the schooner

”Well,” he drawled to the clerk, ”I got my witnesses They isn't a man ashore would put t' sea the morrow if the weather cohed and anxiously frowned Skipper George, infected by this ret--for the skipper loved the trihed, too

”Tiood stroke of business ashore Sir Archibald had indeed ordered hi wind of the next day while the _Spot Cash_ lay at anchor in Tilt Cove and Archie'sover the wire to St John's--the _Black Eagle_ was taken to sea Ashore they advised her skipper to stick to shelter; but the skipper would have none of their warnings Out went the _Black Eagle_ under shortened sail The wind rose; acale_ sped straight out to sea Beyond the Pony Islands--a barren, out-of-the-way little group of rocks--she beat ai But there was no eye to observe her peculiar behaviour Before night fell--driven by the gale--she found poor shelter in a seaward cove Here she hung griht Skipper and crew, asapproached, felt the wind fall and the sea subside

Dawn ca

”What do you make of it, Tommy?” the skipper asked

The clerk stared into the h,”

said he

”Little Pony or Big?”

In a rift of the mist a stretch of rocky coast lay exposed

”Little Pony,” said the clerk

”Ay,” the skipper agreed: ”an' 'twas Little Pony, easterly shore,” he added, his voice dwindling away, ”that Tom Tulk advised”

”An' about the tenth o' the month,” To Thins and the Crew of the ”Spot Cash”

Fall Foul of a Dark Plot_