e and Perry, after having a violent
argument over the proper way to make an omelet decided to settle the
question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the
whist players were ready to stop and the entire ship's company partook
of the rival concoctions and decided the matter in favour of Ossie.

"Although," explained Joe, "I'm not saying that Perry's omelet is bad.
If he had remembered to put a little salt in it--"

"I did!" declared Perry resentfully. "You don't know a decent omelet
when you see it. Look how light mine was! Why, it was twice as high as
Ossie's!"

"That's just it," said Steve gravely. "It was so light that it sort of
faded away before you could taste it. An omelet, Perry, should be
substantial and filling."

"That shows how much you know about it," jeered Perry. "There were just
as many eggs in mine as there were in his. Only I made mine with water
and beat the eggs separately--"

"Ah, there it is, you see," drawled Joe. "You beat the poor little eggs.
I'm surprised at you, Perry. Any fellow who will beat an inoffensive
egg--"

"Huh, I found one that wasn't inoffensive by a long shot! Someone will
have to get some eggs tomorrow, for there are only eight left."

"What!" Han viewed Perry in disgust. "Mean to say you went and used them
all up making those silly omelets?"

"I notice you ate the silly omelets," said Ossie. "One egg apiece is
enough for breakfast, isn't it?"

"Not for me. The doctor ordered two every morning. If I don't have two
eggs for breakfast I shall mutiny."

"If you do you'll be put in irons," said Joe. "Or swung from the
yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to eat,
Ossie? I'm hungry. That egg thing sort of whetted my appetite."

"Gosh, you fellows would keep me cooking all the time," grumbled the
steward. "It's only five, and we don't have supper until six. So you can
plaguey well starve for an hour."

"Then I shall go to sleep and--um--forget the pangs of hunger. Move your
big feet out of the way, Phil."

"I like your cheek, you duffer! Go on back to your own bunk."

"Too faint for want of food," murmured Joe, stretching himself out in
spite of Phil's protests. "Someone sing to me, please."

Supper went very well, in spite of the mid-afternoon luncheon, and after
that the riding light was set for the night, the hatches drawn shut and
all hands settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best.
But bedtime came e