nd to end. The bedding we need, and the food, is being brought
up from the boat; we shall come in contact with nothing to spread the
disease. You must meet this emergency just as bravely as you have the
others; you will, will you not?"

Her eyes met mine smilingly, resolute.

"If you say so--yes. How can I help you?"

"Tell the men just what I have told you," I said gravely. "They will
pay more heed to what you say, and will be ashamed to show less
courage than you. Do you agree?"

We turned and faced them together, as they formed a little group
against the rail. Their dunnage, together with a few boxes of
provisions, and a couple of water casks, lay scattered about the deck,
and now, their immediate task done, the fellows were sullenly staring
around. Hallin was first to speak.

"Vot vas eet you say 'bout dis sheep? Eet haf cholera--hey?"

Dorothy took a step forward, and confronted them, her cheeks flushed.

"You are sailors," she said, speaking swiftly, "and ought not to be
afraid if a girl isn't. It is true this vessel was ravaged by cholera,
and the crew died; but the bodies have been flung overboard--Captain
Carlyle risked his life to do that, before he asked us aboard. Now
there is no danger, so long as we remain on deck. I have no fear."

The Swede shook his head, grumbling something, but before the revolt
could spread, Watkins broke in.

"An' that's right, miss. I wus on the _Bombay Castle_ when she took
cholera, an' we hed twenty-one days of it beatin' agin head winds off
the Cape. We lost sixteen o' the crew, but not a man among us who
stayed on deck got sick. Anyhow these blokes are goin' ter try their
luck aboard yere, er else swim fer it."

He grinned cheerfully letting slip the end of the painter, the
released quarter-boat gliding gently away astern, the width of water
constantly increasing, the light craft wallowing in the waves.

"Now bullies, jump fer it if yer want ter go. Why don't yer try it
Ole? You are so keen about getting away, you ought not to mind a
little water. So ye prefer to stay along with the rest of us. All
right then, my hearties, let's hunt up something to work with and
scrub this deck. That's the way to clean out cholera."

He led the way and they followed him, grumbling and cursing, but
obedient. I added a word of encouragement, and in a few minutes the
whole gang was busily engaged in clearing up the mess forward, making
use of whatever came to hand, their first fears