"
The two remaining days of their passage passed all too quickly for the
men, who were casting about for some way out of the difficulty which
they foresaw would arise when they reached London.
"If you'd only got decent clothes," said Joe, as they passed Gravesend,
"you could go off and send a telegram, and not come back; but you
couldn't go five yards in them things without having a crowd after you."
"I shall have to be taken I s'pose," said Smith moodily.
"An' poor old Dan'll get six months hard for helping you off," said Joe
sympathetically, as a bright idea occurred to him.
"Rubbish!" said Dan uneasily. "He can stick to his tale of being upset;
anyway, the skipper saw him pulled out of the water. He's too honest a
chap to get an old man into trouble for trying to help him."
"He must have a new rig out, Dan," said Joe softly. "You an' me'll go
an' buy 'em. I'll do the choosing, and you'll do the paying. Why, it'll
be a reg'lar treat for you to lay out a little money, Dan. We'll have
quite an evening's shopping, everything of the best."
The infuriated Dan gasped for breath, and looked helplessly at the
grinning crew.
"I'll see him--overboard first," he said furiously.
"Please yourself," said Joe shortly, "If he's caught you'll get six
months.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67