a. "That doctor goes on as bad as opening a coffin.
Says he understands it, and I don't. The old figure-head! What does he
know about it?"

"Much more than you do, perhaps," replied Blyth, standing up for the
profession, as he was bound to do. "Perhaps we had better look at these
on deck, if you will bring up your lantern."

"But, Captain, you will have a look at our hold, and make us a bid--we
need not take it, any more than you need to double it--for as prime a
lot of cheese, and sides of bacon--"

"If your papers are correct, it will not be my duty to meddle with your
cargo. But what are you doing the wrong side of our fleet?"

"Why, that was a bad job. There's no fair trade now, no sort of dealing
on the square nohow. We run all this risk of being caught by Crappos on
purpose to supply British ship Gorgeous, soweastern station; and blow me
tight if I couldn't swear she had been supplied chock-full by a Crappo!
Only took ten cheeses and fifteen sides of bacon, though she never
knew nought of our black fever case! But, Captain, sit down here, and
overhaul our flimsies. Not like rags, you know; don't hold plague much."

The young lieutenant compelled himself to discharge his duty of
inspection behind a combing, where the wind was broken; but even so he
took good care to keep on the weather side of the documents; and the
dates perhaps flew away to leeward. "They seem all right," he said, "but
one thing will save any further trouble to both of us. You belong to
Springhaven. I know most people there. Have you any Springhaven hands on
board?"

"I should think so. Send Tugwell aft; pass the word for Dan Tugwell.
Captain, there's a family of that name there--settled as long as we have
been at Mevagissey. Ah, that sort of thing is a credit to the place, and
the people too, in my opinion."

Dan Tugwell came slowly, and with a heavy step, looking quite unlike the
spruce young fisherman whom Scudamore had noticed as first and smartest
in the rescue of the stranded Blonde. But he could not doubt that this
was Dan, the Dan of happier times and thoughts; in whom, without using
his mind about it, he had felt some likeness to himself. It was not in
his power to glance sharply, because his eyes were kindly open to all
the little incidents of mankind, but he managed to let Dan know that
duty compelled him to be particular. Dan Tugwell touched the slouched
hat upon his head, and stood waiting to know what he was wanted for.

"D