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“Well, Bill was a bit flattered, the carpenter being a very superior sort of a man, and quite an artist in ‘is way, an’ Bill sat down an’ let ‘im do ‘im with some stuff out of a can that made ‘im look like a Hindoo what ‘ad been polished. Then Bob Pullin was done too, an’ when they’d got their turbins on, the change in their appearance was wonderful.

“‘Feels a bit stiff,’ ses Bill, working ‘is mouth.

“‘That’ll wear off,’ ses the carpenter; ‘it wouldn’t be you if you didn’t ‘ave a grumble, Bill.’

“‘And mind and don’t spare ‘im, Bill,’ ses Joe. ‘There’s two of you, an’ if you only do wot’s expected of you, the mate ought to ‘ave a easy time abed this v’y’ge.’

“‘Let the mate start fust,’ ses Ted Hill. ‘He’s sure to start on you if you only get in ‘is way. Lord, I’d like to see his face when you start on ‘im.

“Well, the two of ’em went ashore arter dark with the best wishes o’ all on board, an’ the rest of us sat down in the fo’c’s’le spekerlating as to what sort o’ time the mate was goin’ to ‘ave. He went ashore all right, because Ted Hill see ‘im go, an’ he noticed with partikler pleasure as ‘ow he was dressed very careful.

“It must ha’ been near eleven o’clock. I was sitting with Smith on the port side o’ the galley, when we heard a ‘ubbub approaching the ship. It was the mate just coming aboard. He was without ‘is ‘at; ‘is necktie was twisted round ‘is ear, and ‘is shirt and ‘is collar was all torn to shreds. The second and third officers ran up to him to see what was the matter, and while he was telling them, up comes the skipper.

“‘You don’t mean to tell me, Mr. Fingall,’ ses the skipper, in surprise, ‘that you’ve been knocked about like that by them mild and meek Hindoos?’

“‘Hindoos, sir?’ roared the mate. ‘Certainly not, sir. I’ve been assaulted like this by five German sailor-men. And I licked ’em all.’

“‘I’m glad to hear that,’ ses the skipper; and the second and third pats the mate on the back, just like you pat a dog you don’t know.

“‘Big fellows they was,’ ses he, ‘an’ they give me some trouble. Look at my eye!’

“The second officer struck a match and looked at it, and it cert’n’y was a beauty.

“‘I hope you reported this at the police station?’ ses the skipper.

“‘No, sir,’ ses the mate, holding up ‘is ‘ead. ‘I don’t want no p’lice to protect me. Five’s a large number, but I drove ’em off, and I don’t think they’ll meddle with any British fust officers again.’

“‘You’d better turn in,’ ses the second, leading him off by the arm.

“The mate limped off with him, and as soon as the coast was clear we put our ‘eads together and tried to make out how it was that Bill Cousins and Bob ‘ad changed themselves into five German sailor-men.

“‘It’s the mate’s pride,’ ses the carpenter. ‘He didn’t like being knocked about by Hindoos.’

“We thought it was that, but we had to wait nearly another hour afore the two came aboard, to make sure. There was a difference in the way they came aboard, too, from that of the mate. They didn’t make no noise, and the fust thing we knew of their coming aboard was seeing a bare, black foot waving feebly at the top of the fo’c’s’le ladder feelin’ for the step.

“That was Bob. He came down without a word, and then we see ‘e was holding another black foot and guiding it to where it should go. That was Bill, an’ of all the ‘orrid, limp-looking blacks that you ever see, Bill was the worst when he got below. He just sat on a locker all of a heap and held ‘is ‘ead, which was swollen up, in ‘is hands. Bob went and sat beside ‘im, and there they sat, for all the world like two wax figgers instead o’ human beings.