ooking sideways,
"that these licences have their market-price, and that in Amsterdam just
now it's seven hundred rix-dollars."

"Well-a-well, if the Board of Trade's satisfied," says Jacka, "it's not
for the likes of me to object. But if I was a Christian ruler I should
think twice afore invitin' such a deal of hard swearin'."

"You'll find Captain Cornelisz a Lutheran," Mr. Rogers assured him,
"and a very sociable fellow, with the little English he can muster."

Well, to make my story short, Jacka stepped on board and found the Dutch
skipper monstrous polite and accommodating, though terrible sleepy, the
reason being that, his mate falling sick at Kingston of the yellow
fever, he had been forced to navigate his vessel home single-handed.
He owned up, too, that he had a poor head for ciphering, so that 'twas
more by luck than good management he'd hit off the Channel at all.
At any rate he was glad enough of a chance to shift off responsibility
and take a sound nap, and inside of half an hour the bargain was struck
over a glass of hot schnapps. Mr. Rogers shook hands and put off for
shore again, and a boat went with him to fetch Jacka's kit, which he'd
left in the office.

At six o'clock the _Van der Werf_ weighed anchor and headed out under
easy canvas. The wind outside was almost dead contrary, E. by N. and
half E., and blowing a little under half a gale, but the skipper seemed
in a hurry, and Jacka didn't mind.

"She's a good boat by all seeming," said he as they cleared St.
Anthony's light; "but she wants a sea-way. I reckon, sir, you'd better
stay on deck for a tack or two, till I find how she comes about.
I'm accustomed, you see, to something a bit sharper in the bows, and
just at first that may tempt me to run it too fine."

"Who wants you to run it fine at all?" asked Captain Cornelisz.

"Well, naturally you'll work it in short tacks and hug the English side
pretty close."

"Short tacks? Not a bit of it; tide'll be running up strong by time
we're out in deep water. Put her right across for France, keep her
pretty full--she won't bear pinching--and let her rip."

"Risky."

"How's that?"

"_Chasse-marees_ are pretty thick, I'm told, once you get near t'other
side, 'specially between Morlaix and Guernsey, let alone a chance of
dropping across a French cruiser."

"My good man, I've been stopped twice on this voyage already by French
cruisers: once off Brest, and the second time about fifty miles