rybody,
fore and aft, appeared to be waiting for something; the something being
at that precise moment standing at the foot of the foc'sle ladder,
trying to screw its courage up.

"If the boy comes," said the skipper in a strained, unnatural voice,
"I'll flay him alive."

"You'd better get your knife out then," said the mate.

The boy appeared on deck, very white about the gills, and looking
piteously at the crew for support. He became conscious from their scowls
that he had forgotten something, and remembering himself, stretched out
his skinny arms to their full extent, and, crinkling his nose, walked
with great trepidation to the side.

"Boy!" vociferated the skipper suddenly.

"Yessir," said the urchin hastily.

"Comm'ere," said the skipper sternly.

"Shove your dinner over first," said four low, menacing voices.

The boy hesitated, then walked slowly towards the skipper.

"What are you going to do with that dinner?" demanded the latter grimly.

"Eat it," said the youth modestly.

"What d'yer bring it on deck for, then?" inquired the other, bending his
brows on him.

"I thought it would taste better on deck, sir," said the boy.

"Taste better!" growled the skipper ferociously. "Ain't it good?"

"Yessir," said the boy.

"Speak louder," said the skipper sternly. "Is it very good?"

"Beautiful," said the boy in a shrill falsetto.

"Did you ever taste better wittles than you get aboard this ship?"
demanded the skipper, setting him a fine example in loud speaking.

"Never," yelled the boy, following it.

"Everything as it should be?" roared the skipper.

"Better than it should be," shrilled the craven.

"Sit down and eat it," commanded the other.

The boy sat on the cabin skylight, and, taking out his pocket-knife,
began his meal with every appearance of enjoyment, the skipper, with his
elbows on the side, and his legs crossed, regarding him serenely.

"I suppose," he said loudly, after watching the boy for some time, "I
s'pose the men threw theirs overboard becos they hadn't been used to
such good food?"

"Yessir," said the boy.

"Did they say so?" bawled the other.

The boy hesitated, and glanced nervously forward. "Yessir," he said
at length, and shuddered as a low, ominous growl came from the crew.
Despite his slowness, the meal came to an end at last, and, in obedience
to orders, he rose, and taking his plate forward, looked entreatingly at
the crew as he passed them.

"Come down be