r
and I got to see Prayerful Jones afore Dinshaw gits back. Then I'll
git the old man aboard and keep his jaw close to the wind. We got
to run this thing on some basis. You'll find Doc Bird cookin' in a
civilian mess out Malate way. We got to have him."

"Will Doc cut loose from a shore berth for what looks like a v'yage
to Vigan?"

"He'll cut loose from anything if he knows I want him," said
Jarrow, in a tone significant of no doubts about the matter. "He's
to be aboard in the mornin'--to-night would be better. When we git
our ballast we'll lay out in the stream again. It's safer from
talk."

"How safer?"

"From folks nosin' around. We can't have none of the crew hangin'
'longshore, ginnin' up. I'll fix the clearance myself, and see the
commissioner."

"But I'm to have who I want for'ard," said Peth.

"That's it. You know who we want."

They hailed a _banca_ and were rowed across the river, making a
landing over a tier of _cascos_.

"I'll go over to the Cuartel and pass the word for the men and do a
little lookin' myself," said Peth.

"Keep Dinshaw there half an hour," suggested Jarrow.

Peth looked at him suspiciously.

"What's the game?"

"Never mind me or the game."

"I seem to be kind o' out on the aidge o' things," growled the
mate.

"You keep Dinshaw from shootin' off his face, that's all you got to
do, and don't let Van know how things swung at the Bay View. I'm
goin' to keep this business under gratin's."

"You don't need to fret," said Peth. "I ain't fixin' to break
nothin' out," and he tracked away to the Cuartel, weaving in and
out among the litter of goods on the Mole.

Jarrow stood and watched him disappear into the Cuartel. "I ain't
never had no luck with him," he remarked. "I hope he breaks his
fool neck, that's what I hope. He'll mess things up for me yit."

CHAPTER VI

MR. PETH IS PARTICULAR ABOUT WHERE HE SLEEPS

Early in the morning, when Manila was turning over for another nap,
a victoria from the Bay View took Locke, Trask, and Marjorie over
the Bridge of Spain and through Plaza Moraga to the landing steps,
where the tug which was to take the _Nuestra Senora del Rosario_ to
sea was waiting to put the voyagers aboard the schooner. The
_Nuestra_ was at anchor down the bay.

As they got out of the carriage a black man hopped ashore from the
tug and made for their baggage.

"I'm Doc Bird, the steward," he said. "I reckon yo' all is fo'
Cap'n Jarrow's packet?"