recastle.

"Wot's the matter with you, old 'un?" he demanded.

"I can't find my trousis," grumbled the old man.

"Did you 'ave 'em on larst night?" inquired Bill, who was still half
asleep.

"Course I did, you fool," said the other snappishly.

"Be civil," said Bill, calmly, "be civil. Are you sure you haven't got
'em on now?"

The old man greeted this helpful suggestion with such a volley of abuse
that Bill lost his temper.

"P'r'aps somebody's got 'em on their bed, thinking they was a patchwork
quilt," he said, coldly; "it's a mistake anybody might make. Have you
got the jacket?"

"I ain't got nothing," replied the bewildered old man, "'cept wot I
stand up in."

"That ain't much," said Bill frankly. "Where's that blooming sojer?" he
demanded suddenly.

"I don't know where 'e is, and I don't care," replied the old man. "On
deck, I s'pose."

"P'r'aps 'e's got 'em on," said the unforgiving Bill; "'e didn't seem a
very pertikler sort of chap."

The old man started, and hurriedly ascended to the deck. He was absent
two or three minutes, and, when he returned, consternation was writ
large upon his face.

"He's gone," he spluttered; "there ain't a sign of 'im about, and the
life-belt wot hangs on the galley 'as gone too. Wot am I to do?"

"Well, they was very old cloes," said Bill, soothingly, "an' you ain't a
bad figger, not for your time o' life, Thomas."

"There's many a wooden-legged man 'ud be glad to change with you,"
affirmed Ted, who had been roused by the noise. "You'll soon get over
the feeling o' shyness, Thomas."

The forecastle laughed encouragingly, and Thomas, who had begun to
realise the position, joined in. He laughed till the tears ran down his
cheeks, and his excitement began to alarm his friends.

"Don't be a fool, Thomas," said Bob, anxiously.

"I can't help it," said the old man, struggling hysterically; "it's the
best joke I've heard."

"He's gone dotty," said Ted, solemnly. "I never 'eard of a man larfing
like that a 'cos he'd lorst 'is cloes."

"I'm not larfing at that," said Thomas, regaining his composure by a
great effort. "I'm larfing at a joke wot you don't know of yet."

A deadly chill struck at the hearts of the listeners at these words,
then Bill, after a glance at the foot of his bunk, where he usually
kept his clothes, sprang out and began a hopeless search. The other men
followed suit, and the air rang with lamentations and profanity. Even
the spare suits in th