brought his hand down with a bang upon the barrel, laughed
disdainfully, and springing over the vessel's side was at once lost in
the darkness. Instead of following, all stood transfixed, gazing at the
barrel, on which lay five shillings.

"He put them there when he slammed it!"

"Losh behears! there's a shilling to ilka ane o' us."

"I winna touch the siller," said Sandys, moodily.

"What?" cried Gavinia.

"I tell you it's a bribe."

"Do you hear him?" screamed Gavinia. "He says we're no to lay hands
on't! Corp, where's your tongue?"

But even in that trying moment Corp's trust in Tommy shone out
beautiful and strong. "Dinna be feared, Gavinia," he whispered, "he'll
find a wy."

"Lights out and follow Stroke!" was the order, and the crew at once
scattered in pursuit, Mr. Sandys remaining behind a moment to--to put
something in his pocket.

Mr. McLean gave them a long chase, walking demurely when lovers were in
sight, but at other times doubling, jumping, even standing on eminences
and crowing insultingly, like a cock, and not until he had only breath
left to chuckle did the stout man vanish from the Den. Elspeth, now a
cabin-boy, was so shaken by the realism of the night's adventures that
Gavinia (able seaman) took her home, and when Mr. Sandys and his
Boatswain met at the Cuttle Well neither could tell where Grizel was.

"She had no business to munt without my leave," Tommy said sulkily.

"No, she hadna. Is she the Lady Griselda yet?"

"Not her, she's the Commander's wife."

Ben shook his head, for this, he felt, was the one thing Tommy could not
do. "Well, then," growled Tommy, "if she winna be that, she'll have to
serve before the mast, for I tell you plain I'll have no single women on
board."

"And what am I, forby Ben the Boatswain?"

"Nothing. Honest men has just one name."

"What! I'm just one single man?" Corp was a little crestfallen. "It's a
come down," he said, with a sigh, "mind, I dinna grumble, but it's a
come down."

"And you dinna have 'Methinks' now either," Tommy announced pitilessly.

Corp had dreaded this. "I'll be gey an' lonely without it," he said,
with some dignity, "and it was the usefulest swear I kent o'.
'Methinks!' I used to roar at Mason Malcolm's collie, and the crittur
came in ahint in a swite o' fear. Losh, Tommy, is that you blooding?"

There was indeed an ugly gash on Tommy's hand. "You've been hacking at
yoursel' again," said the distressed Corp, who knew tha