lled, and it was as much as Eve and Joan
could manage to see that each one was comfortably seated and provided
for.

There were the captains of the three vessels, with a portion of the
crew of each, several men belonging to the place--all more or less
mixed up with the ventures--and of course the crew of the Lottery, by
no means yet tired of having their story listened to and their
adventure discussed. Adam's absence was felt to be a great relief, and
each one inwardly voted it as a proof that Adam himself saw that he'd
altogether made a missment and gone nigh to damage the whole concern.
Many a jerk of the head or the thumb accompanied a whisper that "he'd a
tooked hisself off," and drew forth the response that "'twas the proper
line to pursoo;" and, feeling they had no fear of interruption, they
resigned themselves to enjoyment and settled down to jollity, in the
very midst of which Adam made his appearance. But the time was passed
when his presence or his absence could in any way affect them, and,
instead of the uncomfortable silence which at an earlier stage might
have fallen upon the party, his entrance was now only the occasion of
hard hits and rough jokes, which Adam, seeing the influence under which
they were made, tried to bear with all the temper he could command.

"Don't 'ee take no notice of 'em," said Joan, bending over him to set
down some fresh glasses. "They ain't worth yer anger, not one among
'em. I've kept Eve out of it so much as I could, and after now there
won't be no need for her to come in agen; so you go outside there.
Her's a waitin' to have a word with 'ee."

"Then wait she may," said Adam: "I'm goin' to stop where I am.--Here,
father," he cried, "pass the liquor this way. Come, push the grog
about. Last come first served, you know."

The heartiness with which this was said caused considerable
astonishment.

"Iss, iss, lad," said old Zebedee, his face glowing under the effects
of hot punch and the efforts of hospitality. "That's well said. Set to
with a will, and you'll catch us up yet."

During the laughter called forth by this challenge, Joan took another
opportunity of speaking. "Why, what be 'bout, Adam?" she said, seeing
how unlike his speech and action were to his usual self. "Doan't 'ee go
and cut off your naws to spite yer face, now. Eve's close by here.
Her's as sorry as anythin', her is: her wouldn't ha' gone out for
twenty pounds if her'd knawed it."

"I wish you'd hold yer