d.

At this first Council meeting, and at the meetings of many committees
subsequently called to make preparation for the great day, 'Bias said
very little. Those--and they were many--who had looked for "ructions"
between the two rivals, and had taken glee of the prospect, suffered
complete disappointment.

"You see," he explained to Mr Rogers, "I don't hold by several things
Cai Hocken and the Committee are doin'. But they be doin' 'em in the
Queen's honour, after their lights: and 'tisn't fitly to use the
occasion for quarrellin'. There's only one way o' forcin' a quarrel on
me where Queen Victoria's consarned, and that is by speakin' ill of
her."

"That's right," agreed Mr Rogers. "You've common ground in the
Widow-woman."

"The--?"

"The Widow at Windsor, as they call her."

"Oh! I thought for a moment--"

"There's widows and widows," Mr Rogers blinked mischievously. "But look
here--what's this I'm told about your interferin' down at the Harbour
Board, tryin' to get the Commissioners to regylate the ladin' o'
vessels?"

"Well, and why not?" asked 'Bias.

"Why not? For one thing you bet it isn' the Commissioners' business."

"It ought to be somebody's business to stop what's goin' on.
Say 'tis mine, if you like."

"Look 'ee here, Cap'n Hunken," said Mr Rogers, showing his teeth.
"If that's your game, better fit you was kickin' up a rumpus on the
Parish Council than puttin' a spoke into honest trade. I didn' make
room 'pon the Board for you to behave in that style."

"I don't care whether you did or you didn'," retorted 'Bias sturdily.
"And 'honest trade' d'ye call it? robbin' the underwriters and puttin'
seamen's lives in danger."

"Eh? . . . _You_'re a nice man to talk, I must say! Come to me, you do,
and want me to get you anything up to twenty per cent without risk.
How d'ee think that's done in these days, with every one cuttin'
freights? I gave you credit for havin' more sense."

'Bias stared. "See here," he said slowly, "if I'd known that hundred
pound was to be put into any such wickedness, I'd have seen you further
before trustin' you with it. As 'tis, I'll trouble you--"

"Hold hard, there!" Mr Rogers interrupted. "You're in a tarnation hurry
every way, 'twould seem. Who told you as I'd put that hundred into any
vessel below Plimsoll mark?"

"I thought you hinted as much."

"Then you thought a long sight too fast. If you must know, your money's
in the old _Saltypool_, an