"That's the last straw!" he roared, fishing out the tract and throwing
it on the floor. "I'll read them chaps a lesson they won't forget in a
hurry, and put a little money in my pocket at the same time. I've got a
little plan in my 'ed as come to me quite sudden this afternoon. Come on
deck, Bob."
Bob obeyed, grinning, and the skipper, taking the wheel from Sam, sent
him for the others.
"Did you ever know me break my word, Dick?" he inquired abruptly, as
they shuffled up.
"Never," said Dick.
"Cap'n Bowers' word is better than another man's oath," asseverated Joe.
"Well," said Captain Bowers, with a wink at the mate, "I'm going to give
you chaps a little self-denial week all to yourselves. If you all live
on biscuit and water till we get to port, and don't touch nothing else,
I'll jine you and become a Salvationist."
"Biscuit and water," said Dick doubtfully, scratching a beard strong
enough to scratch back.
"It wouldn't be right to play with our constitooshuns in that way, sir,"
objected Joe, shaking his head.
"There you are," said Bowers, turning to the mate with a wave of his
hand. "They're precious anxious about me so long as it's confined to
jawing, and dropping tracts into my tea, but when it comes to a little
hardship on their part, see how they back out of it.
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