"
"We ain't backing out of it," said Dick cautiously; "but s'pose we do,
how are we to be certain as you'll jine us?"
"You 've got my word for it," said the other, "an' the mate an' cook
witness it."
"O' course, you jine the Army for good, sir," said Dick, still
doubtfully.
"O' course."
"Then it's a bargain, sir," said Dick, beaming; "ain't it, chaps?"
"Ay, ay," said the others, but not beaming quite so much. "Oh, what a
joyful day this is!" said the old man. "A Salvation crew an' a Salvation
cap'n! We'll have the cook next, bad as he is."
"You'll have biskit an' water," said the cook icily, as they moved off,
"an' nothing else, I'll take care."
"They must be uncommon fond o' me," said the skipper meditatively.
"Uncommon fond o' having their own way," growled the mate. "Nice thing
you've let yourself in for."
"I know what I 'm about," was the confident reply.
"You ain't going to let them idiots fast for a week an' then break your
word?" said the mate in surprise.
"Certainly not," said the other wrathfully; "I'd sooner jine three
armies than do that, and you know it."
"They'll keep to the grub, don't you fear," said the mate. "I can't
understand how you are going to manage it."
"That's where the brains come in," retorted the skipper, somewhat
arrogantly.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145