"What do
you think of 'em?" he asked expectantly.
The captain strove vainly to tell him, but his tongue mercifully forsook
its office, and dried between his lips. His brain rang with sentences of
scorching iniquity, but they got no further.
"Well, say thank you, if you can't say nothing else," suggested his
tormentor hopefully.
"I couldn't bring nothing else," said Tommy hurriedly; "all the things
was locked up. I tried to swop 'em and nearly got locked up for it. Put
these on and hurry up."
The captain moistened his lips with his tongue.
"The mate'll get off directly she floats," continued Tommy. "Put these
on and spoil his little game. It's raining a little now. Nobody'll see
you, and as soon as you git aboard you can borrow some of the men's
clothes."
"That's the ticket, cap'n," said the man. "Lord lumme, you'll 'ave
everybody falling in love with you."
"Hurry up," said Tommy, dancing with impatience. "Hurry up."
The skipper, dazed and wild-eyed, stood still while his two assistants
hastily dressed him, bickering somewhat about details as they did so.
"He ought to be tight-laced, I tell you," said the man.
"He can't be tight-laced without stays," said Tommy scornfully. "You
ought to know that."
"Ho, can't he," said the other, discomfited.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108