he skipper's expense." Others
assented. It was clear, of course. Donkin said:--"Well, six weeks ain't
much trouble. You sleep all night in, reg'lar, in chokey. Do it on my
'ead." "You are used to it ainch'ee, Donkin?" asked somebody. Jimmy
condescended to laugh. It cheered up every one wonderfully. Knowles,
with surprising mental agility, shifted his ground. "If we all went sick
what would become of the ship? eh?" He posed the problem and grinned
all round.--"Let 'er go to 'ell," sneered Donkin. "Damn 'er. She ain't
yourn."--"What? Just let her drift?" insisted Knowles in a tone of
unbelief.--"Aye! Drift, an' be blowed," affirmed Donkin with fine
recklessness. The other did not see it--meditated.--"The stores would run
out," he muttered, "and... never get anywhere... and what about payday?"
he added with greater assurance.--"Jack likes a good pay-day," exclaimed
a listener on the doorstep. "Aye, because then the girls put one arm
round his neck an' t'other in his pocket, and call him ducky. Don't
they, Jack?"--"Jack, you're a terror with the gals."--"He takes three of
'em in tow to once, like one of 'em Watkinses two-funnel tugs waddling
away with three schooners behind."--"Jack, you're a lame scamp."--"Jack,
tell us about that one with a blue eye and a black eye. Do."--"There's
plenty of girls with one black eye along the Highway by..."

--"No, that's a speshul one--come, Jack." Donkin looked severe and
disgusted; Jimmy very bored; a grey-haired sea-dog shook his head
slightly, smiling at the bowl of his pipe, discreetly amused.
Knowles turned about bewildered; stammered first at one, then at
another.--"No!... I never!... can't talk sensible sense midst you....
Always on the kid." He retired bashfully--muttering and pleased. They
laughed, hooting in the crude light, around Jimmy's bed, where on a
white pillow his hollowed black face moved to and fro restlessly. A puff
of wind came, made the flame of the lamp leap, and outside, high up,
the sails fluttered, while near by the block of the foresheet struck
a ringing blow on the iron bulwark. A voice far off cried, "Helm up!"
another, more faint, answered, "Hard-up, sir!" They became silent--waited
expectantly. The grey-haired seaman knocked his pipe on the doorstep and
stood up.' The ship leaned over gently and the sea seemed to wake up,
murmuring drowsily. "Here's a little wind comin'," said some one very
low. Jimmy turned over slowly to face the breeze. The voice in the