oes the anchor!"

The skipper had hitherto displayed but little interest in the strange
vessel, but now he was shouting and gesticulating, as a flag was run up
to her fore-truck.

"Look at that, Summerhayes!" he exclaimed. "If you ain't blind, tell me
what that flag is. Sure as I'm a master without a ship, it's the
currantine flag."

"So it is, so it is. That means the Health Officer, Sartoris." And the
gruff old Pilot hastened down to the dingey.

As the two seamen put off from the island, the skipper, who was in the
stern of the little boat, could see Summerhayes's crew standing about on
the slip of the pilot-shed; and by the time the dingey had reached the
shore, the Pilot's big whale-boat lay by the landing-stage.

"Where's the doctor?" roared Summerhayes. "Is he goin' to make us hunt
for him when he's required for the first time this six weeks?"

"All right, all right," called a clear voice from inside the great shed.
"I'm ready before you are this time, Pilot."

"An' well you are," growled the gruff old barnacle. "That
furrin'-lookin' barque outside has hoisted the yellow flag. Get aboard,
lads, get aboard."

"Your men discovered the fact half an hour ago, by the aid of your
telescope." The doctor came slowly down the slip, carrying a leather
hand-bag.

"If you've any mercy," said the Pilot, "you'll spare 'em the use o'
that. Men die fast enough without physic."

"Next time you get the sciatica, Summerhayes, I'll give you a double
dose."

"An' charge me a double fee. I know you. Shove her off, Johnson."

The grim old Pilot stood with the steering-oar in his hand; the skipper
and the doctor sitting on either hand of him, and the crew pulling as
only a trained crew can.

"Steady, men," said the Pilot: "it's only half tide, and there's plenty
of water coming in at the entrance. Keep your wind for that,
Hendricson."

With one hand he unbuttoned the flap of his capacious trouser-pocket,
and took out a small bunch of keys, which he handed to Sartoris.

"Examine the locker," he said. "It's the middle-sized key." The captain,
in a moment, had opened the padlock which fastened the locker under the
Pilot's seat.

"Is there half-a-dozen of beer--quarts?" asked Summerhayes.

"There is," replied Sartoris.

"Two bottles of rum?"

"Yes."

"Glasses?"

"Four."

"An' a corkscrew?"

"It's here."

"Then we've just what the doctor ordered: not this doctor--make no
mistake o' that. An' them sons o' se