e certainly stated the situation much better than I could hope
to."

"I was only hoping you wouldn't see it."

"I don't see it, and that's my whole trouble. I can only see the
results. I can't say that this one or that one is to blame, for the
thing seems to be in the very air."

"I know just how you feel, Mack. That's where a skipper is hog-tied
against taking any action. You just sort of feel that there's something
devilish afoot, but you don't know enough what it is to be ready to meet
it. Puts me in mind of a song I heard once aboard one of my ships. One
of the new mates sang it, and called it the microbe song. I ain't got
any idea where he picked it up, but it went like this:

"'Johnnie, don't you see 'em on my head and chin,
All them powerful microbes, both outside and in?
Johnnie, up and smite 'em, counting every one,
With the strength that cometh with the pork and bun.

"'Johnnie, don't you feel 'em, how they work within,
Striving, crowding, pulling, kicking just like sin?
Johnnie, don't you tremble, never be downcast,
Gird ye for the battle, we'll kill 'em while it lasts.

"'Johnnie, don't you hear 'em, how they speak ye fair:
"All of us are shipmates, not a bunk is bare!"
Johnnie, answer boldly: "While we breathe we smite!"
And peace shall follow battle, day shall end in night.'"

Mr. McGowan laughed heartily as the Captain brought his song to an
unmusical close.

"That song ain't got much music in it, leastwise not as I sung it, but
it's got a heap of truth. Fact is, Mack, I'm as chuck full of them damn
microbes as you be, and I ain't able to smite 'em. They are right in
here,"--he tapped his head,--"and though I ain't able to say for sure,
yet I've got a purty good idea that they're outside, too, and making a
heap of trouble in this here burg.

"Now, take those pirates down to the Inn," continued the seaman.
"There's something brewing down there, and it smells like hell-fire to
me that's doing the boiling. Sim Hicks and his gang are whooping it up a
mite too lively for comfort. That's microbe army number one. Then,
there's Harry Beaver. He says they won't board you after your month is
up."

"May army number two quickly advance! I shall gladly and willingly
surrender."

"Hey? What's that? Where in the name of the ship's cook would you go,
I'd like to know?"

"Right here."

"Right where? You board with me?"

"Why not?"

The old seaman's fac