money, was the
time to take advantage.

"Sure, it's one of our agreements, sir. What time would it suit you,
sir, to-morrow afternoon, for me to sign on at the shipping
commissioner's?"

"Casks and chests of it, casks and chests of it, oodles and oodles, a
fathom under the sand," chattered the Ancient Mariner.

"You're all touched up under the roof," Daughtry grinned. "Which ain't
got nothing to do with me as long as you furnish the beer, pay me due an'
proper what's comin' to me the first of each an' every month, an' pay me
off final in San Francisco. As long as you keep up your end, I'll sail
with you to the Pit 'n' back an' watch you sweatin' the casks 'n' chests
out of the sand. What I want is to sail with you if you want me to sail
with you enough to satisfy me."

Simon Nishikanta glanced about. Grimshaw and Captain Doane nodded.

"At three o'clock to-morrow afternoon, at the shipping commissioner's,"
the Jew agreed. "When will you report for duty?"

"When will you sail, sir?" Daughtry countered.

"Bright and early next morning."

"Then I'll be on board and on duty some time to-morrow night, sir."

And as he went up the cabin companion, he could hear the Ancient Mariner
maundering: "Eighteen days in the longboat, eighteen days of scorching
hell . . . "

CHAPTER X

Michael left the _Makambo_ as he had come on board, through a port-hole.
Likewise, the affair occurred at night, and it was Kwaque's hands that
received him. It had been quick work, and daring, in the dark of early
evening. From the boat-deck, with a bowline under Kwaque's arms and a
turn of the rope around a pin, Dag Daughtry had lowered his leprous
servitor into the waiting launch.

On his way below, he encountered Captain Duncan, who saw fit to warn him:

"No shannigan with Killeny Boy, Steward. He must go back to Tulagi with
us."

"Yes, sir," the steward agreed. "An' I'm keepin' him tight in my room to
make safe. Want to see him, sir?"

The very frankness of the invitation made the captain suspicious, and the
thought flashed through his mind that perhaps Killeny Boy was already
hidden ashore somewhere by the dog-stealing steward.

"Yes, indeed I'd like to say how-do-you-do to him," Captain Duncan
answered.

And his was genuine surprise, on entering the steward's room, to behold
Michael just rousing from his curled-up sleep on the floor. But when he
left, his surprise would have been shocking could he have seen