"Not for twenty pounds," said the old man, with a look of horror.
"Not for two million pounds," said Sam, with financial precision.
"Will anybody have a drop?" asked the owner, waving the bottle to and
fro.
As he spoke a grimy paw shot out from behind him, and, before he quite
realised the situation, the cook had accepted the invitation, and was
hurriedly making the most of it.
"Not you," growled the skipper, snatching the bottle from him; "I didn't
mean you. Well, my lads, if you won't have it neat you shall have it
watered."
Before anybody could guess his intention he walked to the water-cask,
and, removing the cover, poured in the rum. In the midst of a profound
silence he emptied the three bottles, and then, with a triumphant smile,
turned and confronted his astonished crew.
"What's in that cask, Dick?" he asked quietly.
"Rum and water," groaned Dick; "but that ain't fair play, sir. We've
kep' to our part o' the agreement, sir, an' you ought to ha' kep' to
yours."
"So I have," was the quick reply; "so I have, an' I still keep to it.
Don't you see this, my lads; when you start playing antics with me
you're playing a fool's game, an' you're bound to come a cropper. Some
men would ha' waited longer afore they spiled their game, but I think
you've suffered enough.
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