n was an
expression of virtuous arithmetical determination.

The skipper looked down again. "Or a fi'pun note each?" he said, in a
low voice. "I can't go beyond that."

"Call it twenty pun and it's a bargain, ain't it, mates?" said Simpson.

Ned said it was, and even the cook forgot his nervousness, and said it
was evident the skipper must do the generous thing, and they'd stand by
him.

"Where's the money coming from?" inquired the mate as the skipper went
down to breakfast, and discussed the matter with him. "They wouldn't get
nothing out of me!"

The skylight was open; the skipper with a glance at it bent forward and
whispered in his ear.

"Wot!" said the mate. He endeavoured to suppress his laughter with hot
coffee and bacon, with the result that he had to rise from his seat, and
stand patiently while the skipper dealt him some hearty thumps on the
back.

With the prospect of riches before them the men cheerfully faced the
extra work; the cook did the boy's, while Ned and Simpson did Bill's
between them. When night came they removed the hatch again, and with a
little curiosity waited to hear how their victims were progressing.

"Where's my dinner?" growled Bill hungrily, as he drew himself up on
deck.

"Dinner!" said Ned, in surprise; "why, you ain't got none."

"_Wot?_" said Bill ferociously.

"You see the skipper only serves out for three now," said the cook.

"Well, why didn't you save us some?" de-manded the other.

"There ain't enough of it, Bill, there ain't in-deed," said Ned. "We
have to do more work now, and there ain't enough even for us. You've got
biscuit and water, haven't you?"

Bill swore at him.

"I 've 'ad enough o' this," he said fiercely. "I'm coming up, let the
old man do what he likes. I don't care."

"Don't do that, Bill," said the old man persuasively. "Everything's
going beautiful. You was quite right what you said about the old man. We
was wrong. He's skeered fearful, and he's going to give us twenty pun to
say nothing about it when we get ashore."

"I'm going to have ten out o' that," said Bill, brightening a little,
"and it's worth it too, I get the 'orrors shut up down there all day."

"Ay, ay," said Ned, with a side kick at the cook, who was about to
question Bill's method of division.

"The old man sucked it all in beautiful," said the cook. "He's in a
dreadful way. He's got all your clothes and things, and the boy's, and
he's going to 'and 'em over to your frie