laughter like a
fusillade--"master! I ain't got no master! Them's the property of Evan
Evans."

"My lad," I cried, in a sort of a serious voice, "I'm sorry to hear it.
I always took ye for a honest lubber."

Whereat, for a second, he looked mighty wrathful. Yes, indeed. Then,
as he perceived that I was what ye may call all abroad, he burst out
laughing again as if his sides would burst.

"Evan," says I, "I've lost my bearings."

"So you have," he answers; "for the fact of the matter is, you don't
understand what you're a-talking about."

Well, my lads, with that he cooled down a bit, and forthwith commenced
to relate how he'd been on a whaling expedition to Greenland, and had
met with luck. The conditions was that all was to share and share
alike--skipper, crew, and all. They had a hard time of it. One of 'em
lost a nose, another a finger or two, and some of 'em their toes. Yes,
indeed; the cold in them latitudes is mighty thieving of prominent parts
of the human frame.

But then, if the risk's considerable, the gain's even more so. Now, my
lads, this shipmate's good fortune set me a-thinking--as, indeed, was
but nat'ral. David Thomas didn't own so much as one hundred and fifty
pounds--not he. His old father might be worth that sum, if his
possessions was all sold. But in the principality, where money's
scarce, a little goes a long way; and I calculated, on that account, if
I could draw anything approaching so heavy an amount of pay on a single
venture, Miller Howell would not stand in the way of my wedding his
daughter Rhoda.

"So," says I, "Evan, my old shipmate, you and I have always been the
best of comrades. I'd like to enjoy a similar slice of good fortune.
Not as though I'd be greedy, Evan. Give me my ship's biscuit and my
share of grog, and I'm content. But, Evan, there's a pretty craft that
wants to moor alongside of me, and her skipper won't agree, because I
haven't got a shot in my locker. That's it, indeed!"

Evan, he looks at me steady; then he holds out his fist with all the
grace of a port-admiral, just as if he meant to serve double grog or
give leave to go ashore.

"Hugh," says he, "the day after to-morrow I sail again for the North
Seas. For my mother, Hugh, she's old and she's sick, and this 'ere
pocket-book, with its contents, is for her. Join our crew, my hearty,
and I'll promise ye fair play and a sailor's greeting. You'll bring
back with ye enough to satisfy your las