say_ I'm afeared.'

"'Cook,' says the skipper, takin' the cook's hand, 'shake! I never
knowed a man like you afore,' says he. 'T' my knowledge, you're the
on'y man in the Labrador fleet would do it. I'm proud,' says he, 't'
take the hand o' the man with nerve enough t' marry Walrus Liz o'
Whoopin' Harbor.'

"But 'twas a new Moses he had t' deal with. The devil got in the
fool's eyes--a jumpin' little brimstone devil, ecod! I never knowed
the man could look that way.

"'Ay, lad,' says the skipper, 'I'm proud t' know the man that isn't
afeared o' Walrus--'

"'Don't you call her that!' says the cook. 'Don't you do it,
skipper!'

"I was lookin' at Liz. She was grinnin' in a holy sort o' way. Never
seed nothin' like that afore--no, lads, not in all my life.

"'An' why not, cook?' says the skipper.

"'It ain't her name,' says the cook.

"'It ain't?' says the skipper. 'But I been sailin' the Labrador for
twenty year,' says he, 'an' I 'ain't never heared her called nothin'
but Walrus--'

"'Don't you do it, skipper!'

"The devil got into the cook's hands then. I seed his fingers clawin'
the air in a hungry sort o' way. An' it looked t' me like squally
weather for the skipper.

"'Don't you do it no more, skipper,' says the cook. 'I isn't got no
wits,' says he, an' I'm feelin' wonderful queer!'

"The skipper took a look ahead into the cook's eyes. 'Well, cook,'
says he, 'I 'low,' says he, 'I won't.'

"Liz laughed--an' got close t' the fool from Twist Tickle. An' I seed
her touch his coat-tail, like as if she loved it, but didn't dast do
no more.

"'What you two goin' t' do?' says the skipper.

"'We 'lowed you'd marry us,' says the cook, ''til we come across a
parson.'

"'I will,' says the skipper. 'Stand up here,' says he. 'All hands
stand up!' says he. 'Tumm,' says he, 'get me the first Book you comes
across.'

"I got un a Book.

"'Now, Liz,' says he, 'can you cook?'

"'Fair t' middlin',' says she. 'I won't lie.'

"'Twill do,' says he. 'An' does you want t' get married t' this here
dam' fool?'

"'An it pleathe you,' says she.

"'Shoos,' says the skipper, 'will you let this woman do the cookin'?'

"'Well, skipper,' says the cook, 'I will; for I don't want nobody t'
die o' my cookin' on this here v'y'ge, an' I _knows_ that mother
wouldn't mind.'

"'An' will you keep out o' the galley?'

"'I 'low I'll _have_ to.'

"'An' look you! cook, is you sure--is you _sure_,' says the skipper,
with a shudd