n
me."

"I see," said the skipper, seriously, "that your displacement is more
than your dimensions call for. Can you boss that bunch of Kollkenny
cats?"

"I can," said Murphy, mournfully and hopelessly, "if ye'll do yer
share. Give me a brick to carry in me pocket, and I'll make 'em wark.
They're rival factions from Limerick and Galway, and each side'll wark
like hill to bate the other. I can stir 'em up to this, but I can't
control thim widout a brick."

"All right. Dig a brick out of the galley floor. Anything in reason to
get sail on this ship. The topsails 'll do till they learn."

"All right, Captain," said Murphy, meekly. "I'm in for it, and I've got
to make the best of it. Shall I rouse 'em out now?"

"No; they're no good till sober. But steal their bottles before they
wake. You fitted them out with some pretty strong stuff, I take it.
They wakened at daylight, just as the tug came, mobbed the faces off me
and the two mates, and only manned the windlass at last when I told
them it made the boat go. Well, I can understand the rivalry. They took
sides, each gang together, and hove on the brakes, faster than I ever
saw a windlass go round before. When they'd got the anchor apeak and
the mate told them to stop it made no difference. They hove the anchor
up to the hawse-pipes, and would have parted the chain if it had been
weaker. Then they took another drink out of their bottles and went to
sleep. The tug pushed us out past the light-ship and left us. So, here
we are."

"Well, Captain," said the subdued Murphy, "I'll git me brick, and let
me ask ye. If ye've any shovels lyin' loose, stow 'em away. A shovel is
a deadly weapon in the hands o' wan o' these fellys."

Murphy went forward to the galley, and soon had pried out a solid,
well-preserved brick from under the stove in the galley floor, against
the aggrieved protest of the Chinese cook.

"Dry up, ye Chink," said Murphy. "Tell me, though, what's the bill o'
fare for the forecastle. Mate three times a day?"

"Meat foul timey one week," answered the Chinaman.

"God help ye, doctor!" said Murphy, kindly. "Kape well widin yer
galley, and have a carvin'-knife sharp; or better still, dig out
another brick for yersilf. I've troubles o' me own."

Stepping out of the galley, Murphy met Hennesey emerging from the port
forecastle door.

"Well, ye rakin's o' Newgate, and what are _you_ doin' here?" he
demanded, fiercely. "Ye doped me successfully, Hennesey, an