AN INTERVENTION.

There was bad blood between the captain and mate who comprised the
officers and crew of the sailing-barge "_Swallow_"; and the outset of
their voyage from London to Littleport was conducted in glum silence. As
far as the Nore they had scarcely spoken, and what little did pass was
mainly in the shape of threats and abuse. Evening, chill and overcast,
was drawing in; distant craft disappeared somewhere between the waste
of waters and the sky, and the side-lights of neighbouring vessels were
beginning to shine over the water. The wind, with a little rain in it,
was unfavourable to much progress, and the trough of the sea got deeper
as the waves ran higher and splashed by the barge's side.

"Get the side-lights out, and quick, you," growled the skipper, who was
at the helm.

The mate, a black-haired, fierce-eyed fellow of about twenty-five, set
about the task with much deliberation.

"And look lively, you lump," continued the skipper.

"I don't want none of your lip," said the mate furiously; "so don't you
give me none."

The skipper yawned, and stretching his mighty frame laughed
disagreeably. "You'll take what I give you, my lad," said he, "whether
it's lip or fist."

"Lay a finger on me and I'll knife you," said the mate. "I ain't afraid
of you, for all your size."

He put out the side-lights, casting occasional looks of violent hatred
at the skipper, who, being a man of tremendous physique and rough
tongue, had goaded his subordinate almost to madness.

"If you've done skulking," he cried, as he knocked the ashes out of his
pipe, "come and take the helm."

The mate came aft and relieved him; and he stood for a few seconds
taking a look round before going below. He dropped his pipe, and stooped
to recover it; and in that moment the mate, with a sudden impulse,
snatched up a handspike and dealt him a crashing blow on the head.
Half-blinded and stunned by the blow, the man fell on his knees, and
shielding his face with his hands, strove to rise. Before he could do
so the mate struck wildly at him again, and with a great cry he fell
backwards and rolled heavily overboard. The mate, with a sob in his
breath, gazed wildly astern, and waited for him to rise. He waited:
minutes seemed to pass, and still the body of the skipper did not emerge
from the depths. He reeled back in a stupor; then he gave a faint cry as
his eye fell on the boat, which was dragging a yard or two astern, and
a figure which