d ship dey plumb stahve fo' gyahden-sass an'
'count o' de sickness de docto' won't 'low 'em on'y some sawts. But back
yondeh on sho' dey's some wile mulbe'y trees hangin' low wid green
mulbe'ys, an' comin' away f'om de grave dey make a break fo' 'em. But de
mate he head' 'em off. An' whilse de leadeh he a-jawin' at de mate on
sho', an' likewise at de clerk on de b'ileh deck an' at the cap'm on de
roof----"

"In a foreign tongue," prompted the bishop, to whom that seemed the
kernel of the offense.

"Yassuh, I reckon so; in a fond tongue; yassuh."

"About his sick not having proper food?" asked Ramsey.

"Yass'm--no'm--yass'm! An' whilse he a-jawin', some o' de crew think dey
see a chance fo' to slip into de bresh an' leave de boat. An' when de
mate whip' out his 'evolveh on 'em, an' one draw a knife on him, an' he
make a dash fo' dat one, he--dat deckhan'--run aboa'd so fas' dat he
ain't see whah he gwine tell it's too la-ate."

The bishop tightened his lips at Hugh and peered at the cabin-boy: "How
was it too late?"

"De deckhan' he run ove'boa'd, suh."

The ladies flinched, the men frowned. "But," said the querist, "meantime
the mate had fired, hmm? Did he--hit?"

"Dey don't know, suh. De deckhan' he neveh riz."

"Awful!" The bishop and Hugh looked steadily at each other. "So that
also we owe to our aliens!"

"Yes," said Hugh.

"We don't," said Ramsey softly, yet heard by all.

Across the board Mrs. Gilmore said "Oh!" but in the next breath all but
the judge's sister laughed, the bishop, as Hugh and he began to rise,
laughing most.

"Wait," said Ramsey, laying a hand out to each and addressing Hugh. "How
are those sick downstairs going to get the right food?"

The cabin-boy almost broke in but caught himself.

"Say it," said Hugh.

"Why, dem what already sick dey a-gitt'n' it. Yass'm, dey gitt'n' de
boat's best. Madam Hayle and de cap'm dey done see to dat f'om de staht.
H-it's de well uns what needs he'p."

"But," said Ramsey, still to Hugh, "for sick or well--the right
food--who pays for it?"

"The boat."

"Who pays the boat?" she asked, and suddenly, blushing, saw her
situation. Except the bishop and the judge's sister, who were conversing
in undertone--except them and Hugh--the whole company, actually with
here and there an elbow on the board, had turned to her in such bright
expectancy as to give her a shock of encounter. But mirth upheld her,
and leaning in over the table she shifted her