"Now, which is your little barge?" he inquired, tugging strongly to
maintain his position against the fast-flowing tide.
"Smiling Jane" said his fare.
"Ah," said the waterman, "Smiling Jane, is it? You sit there, cap'n, an'
I'll row round all their sterns while you strike matches and look at the
names. We'll have quite a nice little evening."
"There she is," cried the captain, who was too muddled to notice the
sarcasm; "there's the little beauty. Steady, my lad."
He reached out his hand as he spoke, and as the boat jarred violently
against a small schooner, seized a rope which hung over the side, and,
swaying to and fro, fumbled in his pocket for the fare.
"Steady, old boy," said the waterman affectionately. He had just
received twopence-halfpenny and a shilling by mistake for threepence.
"Easy up the side. You ain't such a pretty figger as you was when your
old woman made such a bad bargain."
The captain paused in his climb, and poising himself on one foot,
gingerly felt for his tormentor's head with the other Not finding it, he
flung his leg over the bulwark, and gained the deck of the vessel as the
boat swung round with the tide and disappeared in the darkness.
"All turned in," said the captain, gazing owlishly at the deserted deck.
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