"What had you been up to? Skipper had you into the cabin, didn't he?"
"Let him alone, will you," cried Barkins. "What do you want to worry
the poor chap for? The skipper's had him over the coals."
"Well, I know that, Bark. But what for?"
"What's that to you? Let him alone."
"But he might tell."
"Well, he isn't going to tell. If you must know, the Grand Panjandrum
came and catched him talking to Squeezums, hanging over the bulwarks
together."
"Talking to who?"
"Well then, to Teapot, old Chinese Ching, and snubbed him for having the
Yellow-skin so far aft. Didn't he, Gnat?"
"Yes," I said, quite truthfully.
"Then I say it's too bad," cried Smith. "As the snob speakers say, are
we--er--serlaves? Besides, `a man's a man for a' that,' ain't he,
Tanner?"
"Chinamen have no business abaft the funnel," said Barkins. "Did he
give it to you very warmly, Gnat?"
"Pretty well," I said, glad to escape Smith's examination. "I wasn't
sorry to get out of the cabin."
"No, I should think not. Why, what's come to the old boy--taking to
bully us himself? I thought he always meant to leave that to Dishy."
"He's getting wild at not catching the pirates, I suppose," said
Barkins. "Then all that badger gets bottled up in him, and he lets it
off at us. Well, I don't see any fun in watching the fire; I'm going
down for a snooze."
"Wish I could," said Smith. "The fellow who invented night-watches
ought to have been smothered. I daresay he was a man who had something
the matter with him and couldn't sleep. I hate it."
"Pooh!" cried Barkins, laughing. "You haven't got used to it yet, old
chap. It's an acquired taste. After a bit you won't care a dump for a
regular night's rest, but'll want to get up and take your turn. Won't
he, Gnat?"