et of it among friends," said Miggs.
"That's just how the land lies with us. A voyage or two back I spoke to
Mr. Girdlestone, and I says to him, says I, 'Give the ship an
overhauling,' says I. 'Well and good,' says he, 'but it will mean so
much off your wage,' says he, 'and the mate's wage as well.' I put it
to him straight and strong, but he stuck at that. So Sandy and me, we
put our heads together, and we 'greed It was better to take fifteen
pound and the risk, than come down to twelve pound and safety."

"It is scandalous!" cried Tom Dimsdale hotly. "I could not have
believed it."

"God bless ye! it's done every day, and will be while there is insurance
money to be gained," said Miggs, blowing a blue cloud up to the ceiling.
"It's an easy thing to turn a few thousands a year while there are old
ships to be bought, and offices which will insure them above their
value. There was D'Arcy Campbell, of the _Silvertown_--what a trade
that man did! He was smart--tarnation smart! Collisions was his line,
and he worked 'em well. There warn't a skipper out of Liverpool as
could get run down as nat'ral as he could."

"Get run down?"

"Aye. He'd go lolloping about in the Channel if there was any fog on,
steering for the lights o' any steamers or headin' round for all the fog
whistles if it was too thick to see. Sooner or later, as sure as fate,
he'd get cut down to the water's edge. Lor', it was a fine game!
Half a 'yard o' print about his noble conduc' in the newspapers, and
maybe a leader about the British tar and unexpected emergencies.
It once went the length o' a subscription. Ha! ha!" Miggs laughed until
he choked.

"And what became of this British star?" asked the German.

"He's still about. He's in the passenger trade now."

"Potztausand!" Von Baumser ejaculated. "I would not go as a passenger
with him for something."

"There's many a way that it's done, sir," the mate added, filling up his
glass again, and passing the bottle to the captain. "There's loadin' a
cranky vessel wi' grain in bulk without usin' partition boards. If you
get a little water in, as you are bound to do with a ship o' that kind,
the grain will swell and swell until it bursts the seams open, and down
ye go. Then there's ignition o' coal gas aboard o' steamers. That's a
safe game, for nobody can deny it. And there are accidents to
propellers. If the shaft o' a propeller breaks in heavy weather it's a
bad look-out. I've k