Chalk's pluck was wonderful, and Mr. Tredgold was all right."
Mr. Stobell turned a dull but ferocious eye upon him.
"And you all got off in the other boat," said Tredgold. "I'm very glad."
Captain Brisket looked at him, but made no reply. The problem of how to
make the best of the situation was occupying all his attention.
"Me and Peter Duckett would be glad of some of our pay," he said, at
last.
"Pay?" repeated Tredgold, in a dazed voice.
Brisket looked at him again, and then gave a significant glance in the
direction of Captain Bowers. "We'd like twenty pounds on account--now,"
he said, calmly.
Tredgold looked hastily at his friends. "Come and see me to-morrow," he
said, nervously, "and we'll settle things."
"You can send us the rest," said Brisket, "but we want that now. We're
off to-night."
"But we must see you again," said Tredgold, who was anxious to make
arrangements about the schooner. "We--we've got a lot of things to talk
about. The--the ship, for instance."
"I'll talk about her now if you want me to," said Brisket, with
unpleasant readiness. "Meantime, we'd like that money."
Fortunately--or unfortunately--Tredgold had been to his bank that
morning, and, turning a deaf ear to the expostulations of Captain Bowers,
he produced his pocketbook, and after a consultation with Mr.
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