was
cowering like a drowned rat, "which they throw'd overboard, like the
whales in the Scriptures, never a fish."

"Then we've wasted our time!" cried the skipper, stamping his great
foot; "and you're lazy varmin to stop so long aboard parleying with
'em. I'm going on; you can settle your scores among you."

He gave the order "Full steam ahead!" at which the third officer showed
the temper of a whipped beast.

"You're going ahead leaving them swimming? Then darn me if I serve,"
said he. "What? They pitch me in their dirty tub, and you laugh! By
thunder! I'll teach you."

Captain Black watched his anger with a pitying leer; but "Dick the
Ranter" and "Four-Eyes" were overcome with laughter, and roared until
the ship echoed.

"Houly Moses, it's a fine picture ye are, my beauty," said the mate;
"and if oi'll be scraping ye down with a shovel, it's yer own fayther
wouldn't know ye, so clane ye'll be."

"To the which I would add, man," said Dick, "that if ye'd let yersel'
drip into the lubricators you'd be worth siller to us; not to say
onything o' the discoorse I micht verra weel preach on Satan from yer
present appearance."

The banter turned the man from his more meaning purpose. He stood
gibbering for a moment, while the crowd pressed on him with gibes and
jeers; but he had his revenge, after all, for there was a tar-bucket at
the foot of the upper-deck ladder, and with this he armed himself. The
brush was well-charged and dripping, the tar yet liquid, the Scotsman's
face was all-inviting. With a fierce shout the enraged man went to the
attack, and painted his lantern-jawed opponent merrily. In less time
than I can tell of it, the Ranter dripped from head to foot; the black
stuff poured from his hemp-like hair, from his ears; it oozed down his
neck, it even ran through to his boots; and when his enemy could no
longer wield the brush from fatigue, he emptied the bucket on the man's
head as a last triumphant vindication of his strength.

"Now we're a pair!" he said, pausing for breath, and surveying his work
as an artist surveys a finished picture; "and I guess you ain't going
to take the biscuit in this beauty show."

"Man, I could hae weel dispensed wi't," spluttered the Scotsman; "but I
thank ye for dyeing my breeks. They've been wanting colour since New
Year."

The laughter had not yet died away when the men went to their cabins,
and we posted the watches before turning in. We were at that time in
Lat. 65