Part 38 (1/2)

”'I _can't_ get her off,' says I

”'Yes, you can, too, Skipper Bill,' says he 'I'll lay you can get her off I don't kno you'll do it,' says he; 'but _I'll lay you can_!'

”'I'll get her off, Archie,' says I, 'if I got t' jump in the sea an'

haul her off with a line in ot the best teeth, Skipper Bill,' says he, 't' be found on this here coast As for ot t' walk on water I told my father that I'd be in his office on the first o' Septeoin' t' be there If I can't be there with the fish I can be there with the promise o' fish; an' I can back that promise up with a motor boat, a sloop yacht an' a pony an' cart I don't kno I'et t' St John's,' says he, 'an' I don't want t' walk on a wet sea like this; but I'et there sooin' to assoooin' to assoom that you'll fetch down the _Spot Cash_ an' the tail an' fins of every last tooin' t' _do_ it!” Skipper Bill roared in conclusion, with a slap of the counter with his hairy fist that made the depleted stock rattle on the shelves

”Does you t-t-think you c-c-_can_ haul her off with your teeth?”

Donald North asked with staring eyes

Bill o' Burnt Bay burst into a shout of laughter

”We'll have no help froravely ”They're good-humoured men,” he added, ”but they means t'

have this here schooner if they can”

”Never mind,” said Skipper Bill, with an assu heart ”We'll get her off afore they co

With the _Spot Cash_ high and dry--with a small crew aboard--with a nuood-hu that which they were fully persuaded it was their right to have--with no help near at hand and small prospect of the appearance of aid--the task which Archie Ar had set Bill o'

Burnt Bay was thehad ever encountered in a long career of hard work, self-dependence and tight places The Jolly Harbour folk ht be thefolk in the world; but tradition had taught thehteously to the ood consciences and the best humour in the world stand upon that doctrine And Bill o' Burnt Bay would do no murder to prevent them: it was not the custom of the coast to do 's last injunction had been to take no lives

Bill o' Burnt Bay declared in grorath to the boys that he would come next door to murder

”I'll pink 'eun ”_I'll_ s, ecod!”

Yes, sir; the skipper would show the Jolly Harbour folk how near a venturesoht into a Jolly Harbour hull without , ecod! How much of this wasthe skipper spoke--even the skipper himself did not know

But, yes, sir; he'd show 'eh nearnobody would put out frohtened off once Skipper Bill's wrath could si point But a watch must be kept No chances must be taken with the _Spot Cash_, and--

”Ahoy, Billy!” a pleasant voice called from the water

The crew of the _Spot Cash_ rushed on deck

”Oh, ho!” another voice laughed ”Skipper's back, too, eh?”

”_With_ a long--perfeckly trustworthy--loaded--gun,” Skipper Bill solehed heartily

”Sheer off!” Skipper Bill roared

But in the protecting shadows of the night the punts cah