wman. "Shipped themselves, did
they? Two jumps ahead o' the police, I bet! Lord, what a cargo he's
got aboard!"

This last referred to Newman. I was staring at him, myself, with
stupid surprise, his peculiar antics aiding me to retain a slender
clutch on my senses.

For Newman was drunk, rip-roaring drunk. Now mind, he had been cold
sober a few moments before when I handed him the Swede's bottle, and I
was quite certain he had not touched that bottle to his lips. He came
over the rail with the bottle clutched in his hand, and as soon as he
touched the deck he was as pickled as any sailor who ever joined a
ship. He hung his head, and lurched unsteadily from foot to foot,
mumbling to himself. Suddenly he brandished the bottle, and commenced
to howl, "Blow the Man Down," in a raucous voice.

"Stow that!" commanded Lynch, shortly. "You'll wake up the lady!"

Newman shut up. "Vas da lady on board?" asked the Swede, respectfully.

"Yes, and if that jasper rouses her, I'll shove a pin down his gullet!"
answered Lynch. "Here you two," he commanded us, "gather up your
dunnage and get for'rd!"

Newman and I grappled laboriously with our bags. Fitzgibbon spoke to
the Swede. "When does the crew come off?"

"Flood tide," answered the Swede. "Captain Swope comes with them. And
I send a port gang to get you oondar way."

"Hope there are some more huskies like these two," said Lynch.

"_Ja_, day ban all able seamans," declared the Swede.

"You're a filthy liar!" I heard Lynch comment. But further words I
lost, for Newman and I went stumbling forward to the forecastle.

We dumped our bags upon the floor, and Newman lighted the lamp. My
knees gave way, and I sat down upon the bench that ran around beside
the tiers of empty bunks. Then, when the flickering light revealed my
companion's face, I felt another shock of surprise.

For Newman was sober again. As soon as he was out of sight of the
group on the after deck, he dropped his inebriety like a mantle. The
face I looked into was alert and hard set, and the eyes gleamed
strangely as though the man were laboring under a strong, repressed
excitement. Newman wore an air of triumph, as though he had just
accomplished a difficult victory. My tongue had suddenly become very
thick, but I managed to mumble a query. "Say, matey, what's the game?"

He regarded me sharply. "What's the matter with you, lad?" he
exclaimed. He leaned over, pressed up one of my e