Part 21 (1/2)

”You must take the shadow as well as the suns.h.i.+ne, though,” returned Kenneth. ”You would rather be back at my boathouse cave, I daresay, at Cotago, launching the tub for a pleasant day among the islands, wouldn't you?”

”Yes, indeed. Stand by; there is another wave.”

”Hark?” said Kennie during a lull. ”They are singing forward, round the galley fire. I've a good mind to go and join them; will you come? a second officer can do what a first can't.”

”Yes, take your flute; that will be an excuse.”

Given a trim s.h.i.+p and plenty of sea room, and it isn't all the wind that can blow that will succeed in lowering the spirits of the British sailor.

The jolliest of the crew of the _Brilliant_ were seated to-night near the galley fire, or they clung to lockers or lay on the deck; it is all the same. It was cold enough to make a fire pleasant and agreeable, and they were all within speaking distance; they had pipes and tobacco and plates of sea-pie, for it was Friday night, the old custom of making Friday a kind of Banian day being still kept up in some vessels of the merchant service.

”Hullo! Mr McAlpine,” cried the carpenter. ”Right welcome, sir. And you too, Mr McCrane. Glad to see the smiling faces of the pair of you.

Ain't we, mates?”

”That we are,” and ”that we be,” came the ready chorus.

”Some sea-pie, gentlemen,” said the cook, handing each a steaming basin of that most savoury dish.

”I made it,” cried the bo'sun.

”Not all,” cried another. ”I rolled the paste.”

”And I cut the beef.”

”And I sliced the bacon.”

”And I chopped the onions.”

”And I pared the 'taters.” This last from the cabin-boy.

”Ha! ha! ha!” roared the jolly carpenter. ”I say, maties, blowed if we haven't all had a hand in the pie.”

”Well, it is jolly eating anyhow,” said Kenneth.

”The smell of it's enough to raise a dying man,” quoth Archie.

”Bravo, sir,” cried the bo'sun, ”and I hopes it makes ye both 'appy.”

”Happy, yes,” said Kenneth. ”I'm so happy now, I can sing and play.”

”Oh I give us a toot on the old flute first.”

Kenneth gave them ”a toot.”

”Now give us a song.”

”Let the gentleman take his breath,” the carpenter remonstrated.

”Never a breath,” persisted the bo'sun. ”He must pay his footin', I says. And I warrant you, too, he has as much pleasure in singing as we has in listenin' to 'im.”