any information about experiences, as he
called them, to go and ask "that ---- fool of a skipper about it."

"I have had a little conversation with him," replied the pilot; "and
it does seem to me extraordinary--and if I were not here I might
almost say an outrage--that no other course could be found than utter
sacrifice."

"Oh, don't talk to me!" exclaimed the vivacious mate, in a flood of
passion. "You call it extraordinary and an outrage! Is that a proper
name for such wickedness? You ask me what I think of it? I tell you I
cannot think. You talk about outrage! I say, sir, it is joining
outrage to injustice, and I cannot believe that any other than a
frozen-souled fool would have done it. There is not a glimmering of
common-sense in it. The wonder is that he didn't take it back to the
scoundrels, for pity's sake!"

This outburst of withering scorn encouraged the pilot to ask what the
sailors thought of it.

"Go and ask them, if you want to hear something you've never heard
before."

The captain, who was in the charthouse, could not help hearing these
interesting opinions of himself, nor could he help enjoying the rugged
humour of them. His mate had his peculiarities, but he never doubted
his loyalty to himself, and he was sure that on reflection he would
come to see the wisdom of disentanglement. He went on to the bridge as
though all was serene, asked a few questions of the pilot, and settled
down until the vessel arrived at her discharging port.

On landing, a message-boy told him there was a telegram at the office
for him. He eagerly asked if he knew where it was from. The boy
replied, "Gibraltar." He requested the messenger to get it for him,
and found it was from the agent who shipped the tobacco, the purport
of it being to offer him L500 to bring it back, and intimating that a
letter was on the way. When this came to hand, it explained
exhaustively the reason the freight was not paid as agreed, and boldly
accused the port authorities and officials of having organized a plot
in order to accomplish their own evil ends. This precious document was
signed by the writer, and, needless to say, was not replied to. As a
necessary protection to himself, the master had a declaration signed
by the whole of the crew, stating that they had no tobacco concealed
or in their possession other than that shown to the Custom-house
officers.

As is usual after a vessel arrives in a home port, and is properly
moored and dec