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“Well，then，threecheersforthecaptain。”proposedTommy。
ButWicksheldupashakinghand。“Notthateither，boys。”hepleaded。“Thinkoftheotherbuffer，andlethimdowneasy。IfI’mlikethis，justfancywhatTopeliusis！Ifheheardussingingout，he’dhavethestaggers。”
Asamatteroffact，Topeliusacceptedhisdefeatwithagoodgrace；butthecrewofthewreckedLeslie，whowereinthesameemploymentandloyaltotheirfirm，tookthethingmorebitterly。Roughwordsanduglylookswerecommon。OnceeventheyhootedCaptainWicksfromthesaloonverandah；theCurrencyLassesdrewoutontheotherside；forsomeminutestherehadliketohavebeenabattleinButaritari；andthoughtheoccasionpassedoffwithoutblows，itleftoneithersideanincreaseofill-feeling。
Nosuchsmallmattercouldaffectthehappinessofthesuccessfultraders。Fivedaysmoretheshiplayinthelagoon，withlittleemploymentforanyonebutTommyandthecaptain，forTopelius’snativesdischargedcargoandbroughtballast；thetimepassedlikeapleasantdream；theadventurerssatuphalfthenightdebatingandpraisingtheirgoodfortune，orstrayedbydayinthenarrowisle，gapinglikeCockneytourists；andonthefirstofthenewyear，theCurrencyLassweighedanchorforthesecondtimeandsetsailfor’Frisco，attendedbythesamefineweatherandgoodluck。Shecrossedthedoldrumswithbutsmalldelay；onawindandinballastofbrokencoral，sheoutdidexpectations；and，whataddedtothehappinessoftheship’scompany，thesmallamountofworkthatfellonthemtodo，wasnowlessenedbythepresenceofanotherhand。ThiswastheboatswainoftheLeslie；hehadbeenonbadtermswithhisowncaptain，hadalreadyspenthiswagesinthesaloonsofButaritari，hadweariedoftheplace，andwhileallhisshipmatescoldlyrefusedtosetfootonboardtheCurrencyLass，hehadofferedtoworkhispassagetothecoast。HewasanorthofIrelandman，betweenScotchandIrish，rough，loud，humorous，andemotional，notwithoutsterlingqualities，andanexpertandcarefulsailor。Hisframeofmindwasdifferentindeedfromthatofhisnewshipmates；insteadofmakinganunexpectedfortune，hehadlostaberth；andhewasbesidesdisgustedwiththerations，andreallyappalledattheconditionoftheschooner。Astateroomdoorhadstuck，thefirstdayatsea，andMac(astheycalledhim)laidhisstrengthtoitandpluckeditfromthehinges。
“Glory！”saidhe，“thisship’srotten。”
“Ibelieveyou，myboy。”saidCaptainWicks。
Thenextdaythesailorwasobservedwithhisnosealoft。
“Don’tyougetlookingatthesesticks。”thecaptainsaid，“oryou’llhaveafitandfalloverboard。”
Macturnedtowardsthespeakerwithratherawildeye。“Why，Iseewhatlookslikeapatchofdryrotupyonder，thatIbetI
couldstickmyfistinto。”saidhe。
“Looksasifafellowcouldstickhisheadintoit，don’tit？”
returnedWicks。“Butthere’snogoodpryingintothingsthatcan’tbemended。”
“IthinkIwasaCurrencyAsstocomeonboardofher！”
reflectedMac。
“Well，Ineversaidshewasseaworthy。”repliedthecaptain：“I
onlysaidshecouldshowherbloomingheelstoanythingafloat。
Andbesides，Idon’tknowthatit’sdryrot；Ikindofsometimeshopeitisn’t。Here；turntoandheavethelog；that’llcheeryouup。”
“Well，there’snodenyingit，you’reaholycaptain。”saidMac。
Andfromthatdayon，hemadebuttheonereferencetotheship’scondition；andthatwaswheneverTommydrewuponhiscellar。“Here’stothejunktrade！”hewouldsay，asheheldouthiscanofsherry。
“Whydoyoualwayssaythat？”askedTommy。
“Ihadanuncleinthebusiness。”repliedMac，andlaunchedatonceintoayarn，inwhichanincrediblenumberofthecharacterswere“laidoutasniceasyouwouldwanttosee。”
andtheoathsmadeupabouttwo-fifthsofeveryconversation。
Onlyoncehegavethematasteofhisviolence；hetalkedofit，indeed，often；“I’mratheravoilentman。”hewouldsay，notwithoutpride；butthiswastheonlyspecimen。Ofasudden，heturnedonHemsteadintheship’swaist，knockedhimagainsttheforesailboom，thenknockedhimunderit，andhadsethimupandknockedhimdownoncemore，beforeanyonehaddrawnabreath。
“Here！Belaythat！”roaredWicks，leapingtohisfeet。“Iwon’thavenoneofthis。”
Macturnedtothecaptainwithreadycivility。“Ionlywanttolearnhimmanners。”saidhe。“HetookandcalledmeIrishman。”
“Di
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