. John's harbour without tellin' where it came
from, if there's any man can beat me at that, why, I'd----"

Skipper George got up and pulled open the hatch.

"I'll see you again," said Tom Tulk.

Skipper George of the _Black Eagle_ helped himself to another dram
when Tom Tulk had withdrawn his great body and sly face. It was true,
all that Tom Tulk had said. It was true about the clerk; he was ripe
to go bad. It was true about the crew; with hands scarce, and
able-bodied young fellows bound to the Sidney mines for better wages,
Skipper George could ship whom he liked and Tom Tulk chose. It was
true about fetching fish into St. John's without accounting whence it
came. Tom Tulk could do it; nobody would ask eccentric old Tom Tulk
where he got his fish--everybody would laugh. It was true about the
skipper himself; it was quite true that his reputation was none of the
best as a sailing-master. But he had never lost a ship yet. They might
say he had come near it, if they liked; but he had never lost a ship
yet. No, sir; he had never lost a ship yet. Nor would he. He'd fetch
the _Black Eagle_ home, right enough, and _show_ Sir Archibald
Armstrong!

But the thing would be easy. It was disgustingly easy in prospect.
Skipper George wished that old Tom Tulk had never come near to bother
him.

"Hang Tom Tulk!" thought he.

But how easy, after all, the thing would be!

* * * * *

The first hand put his head in the hatchway to tell Skipper George
that he was to report to Sir Archibald Armstrong in the office at
once. Skipper George was not quite easy about the three drams he had
taken; but there was nothing for it but to appear in the office
without delay. As a matter of fact Sir Archibald Armstrong detected
nothing out of the way. He had something to say to Skipper George
about the way to sail a schooner--about timid sailing, and reckless
sailing, and feeling about in fogs, and putting out to sea, and
running for harbour. When he had finished--and he spoke long and
earnestly, with his blue eyes flashing, his head in the air, his teeth
snapping once in a while--when Sir Archibald had finished, Skipper
George was standing with his cap in his hand, his face flushed,
answering, "Yes, sir," and, "No, sir," in a way of the meekest. When
he left the office he was unpleasantly aware that he was face to face
with his last chance. In this new trouble he forgot all about Tom
Tulk.

"Skip