up, and what they were going to do about the
lads down below, when I see the sky-light opened a bit. So of course I
crep' along the deck to hear what they'd got to say."

"And did you hear?"

"Every word, mate. They were going to get the doctor to find the stuff
to send all the lads to sleep, and then they were going to open the
hatch and shove Jarette by himself, and the others some in the
cable-tier and some in the hold."

"Yes, yes!" cried the cook, eagerly, while I listened hard.

"Well then, that warmint yonder said it ought to be put in the soup, and
so they settled it.

"`Two can play at that game,' I says, and I listened till they spoke so
low that I opened the light a bit wider, and it slipped out of my hands
and went down bang. So I nipped back to set alongside o' Tommy here,
and my gentleman comes up to peep, sees me right away, and goes back
again. I thought perhaps they'd give it up then, but I kep' my eyes
open, and bimeby I sees my nipper here come to you with three tins, and
he tells you what to do with them.

"`All right,' I says, `I can see through that dodge,' so I lays low and
waits my chance, empties the tin of soup you'd put aside into a pan, and
then pours the one you were going to use into the one you'd set aside,
and that out of the pan into the tin, but I washed it out first, and put
it ready for you to use."

"You couldn't; I was here all the time," said the cook, angrily.

"Oh, was you? Didn't go round to the back to fetch taters, did you?"

"Of course. I forgot."

"Ah, that's right," continued the man. "But I warn't satisfied then,
for I says to myself, `Them poor beggars down below won't get the dose
now, but I should like t'others to have a taste;' and to make sure as
they did, I takes the tin as you'd got the lumps o' meat in, pours out
all the pieces and fills it up from the tin they'd doctored, and filled
it up again with the juice I'd poured out; now I says to myself,
whichever lot they have'll give 'em what they meant for some one else--
and so it did. My word, they mixed it pretty strong."

"Why, the tins were wet and sticky!" cried the cook.

"Course they was, mate; I had to be in such a hurry for fear of your
coming back."

"And I couldn't make out about that pan."

"Hadn't time to wash it, messmate."

"Then I gave the lads down below the soup the cabin was to have had?"

"You did."

"And them in the cabin the soup and kangaroo they'd physicked?"

"Th