rtain whether to return the friendly grasp or fight; but the fierce,
wild, contemptuous laugh with which David Bright concluded the speech
decided him.

"Y'you--you're a jolly good fellow," he stammered; "here, fill up
again."

The poor skipper filled up again, and again, until his speech began to
grow thick and unsteady.

"Yesh," continued Gunter, doubling his fist and smiting his knee, "I do
like sheap grog an' sheap baccy, an' the Coper's the place to get 'em
both. Ain't it?"

He looked up sharply at the owner of the Coper, who stood in front of
him, and who of course assented cheerfully to the question.

"Ain't it?" he repeated still more sharply, turning to Luke Trevor, who
sat close to him with a grave, anxious look. "Why don't you drink?" he
added.

"Because I don't want to," returned Luke, quietly.

"D-do-don't want to," returned Gunter, angrily--for it takes little to
make some drunk men angry--"You don't want to spend your money, you
young miser--that's what you m-mean. An' yet it's sheap enough, I'm
sure. You'll not git anything in the fleet so sheap as you will in the
Coper."

"There you are wrong," returned Luke, decidedly. "You'll get things
cheaper aboard the mission-ship, for they'll give you physic, an' books,
an good advice, and help as far as they can, all for nothing--which is
cheaper than the Coper's wares."

"Right you are, Luke. Pitch into him," cried David Bright who was fast
drinking himself into a state of madness.

"Father," whispered Billy, with an anxious look, "don't you think you've
had enough?"

The reply to this was a tremendous cuff on the ear which sent the poor
boy staggering backwards, so that he nearly fell. Recovering himself he
retired behind the Coper's boat and tried to crush down the sobs that
rose in his throat. He was to some extent successful, but a few tears
that could not be restrained hopped over his sunburnt cheeks.

It was not pain, nor even the indignity, that drew forth those tears and
choking sobs, but the thought that the father he was so fond of had
dealt the blow.

Meanwhile Luke Trevor, who felt that matters had reached a dangerous
point, rose and went to the place where the boat's painter had been
tied. David Bright was sitting close to the spot.

"Don't you think it is time we were going, skipper?" he said,
respectfully, as he laid his hand on the rope.

"No, I don't," replied the skipper, sharply. "Leave go that rope."

Luke hes