Part 25 (1/2)

”What did I tell you?” he inquired severely as the mate got quietly aboard.

”About knocking down the two policemen?” guessed the mate, somewhat puzzled.

”No,” said the other shortly. ”Listen.”

The mate listened. From the fo'c's'le came the low, gruff voices of men, broken by the silvery ripple of women's laughter.

”Well, I'm a Dutchman,” said the mate with the air of one who felt he was expected to say something.

”After all I said to 'em,” said the skipper with weary dignity. ”You 'eard what I said to 'em, Jack?”

”n.o.body could ha' swore louder,” testified the mate.

”An' here they are,” said the skipper in amaze, ”defying of me. After all I said to 'em. After all the threats I--I employed.”

”Employed,” repeated the mate with relish.

”They've been and gone and asked them females down the fo'c's'le again.

You know what I said I'd do, Jack, if they did.”

”Said you'd eat 'em without salt,” quoted the other helpfully.

”I'll do worse than that, Jack,” said the skipper after a moment's discomfiture. ”What's to hinder us casting off quietly and taking them along with us?”

”If you ask me,” said the mate, ”I should say you couldn't please the crew better.”

”Well, we'll see,” said the other, nodding sagely; ”don't make no noise, Jack.”

He set an example of silence himself, and aided by the mate, cast off the warps which held his unconscious visitors to their native town, and the wind being off the sh.o.r.e, the little schooner drifted silently away from the quay. The skipper went to the wheel, and the noise of the mate hauling on the jib brought a rough head out of the fo'c's'le, the owner of which, after a cry to his mates below, sprang up on deck and looked round in bewilderment.

”Stand by, there!” cried the skipper as the others came rus.h.i.+ng on deck, ”Shake 'em out.”

”Beggin' your pardin', sir,” said one of them with more politeness in his tones than he had ever used before, ”but------”

”Stand by!” said the skipper.

”Now then!” shouted the mate sharply, ”lively there! Lively with it!”

The men looked at each other helplessly and went to their posts as a scream of dismay arose from the fair beings below who, having just begun to realise their position, were coming on deck to try and improve it.

”What!” roared the skipper in pretended astonishment, ”what! gells aboard after all I said, It can't be; I must be dreaming!”

”Take us back!” wailed the damsels, ignoring the sarcasm, ”take us back, captain.”

”No, I can't go back,” said the skipper. ”You see what comes o'

disobedience, my gells. Lively there on that mains'l, d'ye hear?”

”We won't do it again,” cried the girls, as the schooner came to the mouth of the harbour and they smelt the dark sea beyond. ”Take us back.”

”It can't be done,” said the skipper cheerfully.