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For the next twenty-four hours he retained his sovereignty undisputed,but on Sunday morning, after breakfast, when he was at the wheel, andthe crew below, the mate, who had been forward, came aft with a strangegrin struggling for development at the corners of his mouth.

"What’s the matter?" inquired the skipper, regarding him with some disfavour.

"They’re all down below with their red jerseys on," replied the mate,still struggling, "and they’re holding a sort o’ consultation about thelost lamb, an’ the best way o’ reaching ‘is ‘ard ‘eart. "

"Lost lamb!" repeated the skipper unconcernedly, but carefully avoidingthe other’s eye.

"You’re the lost lamb," said the mate, who always went straight to thepoint.

"I won’t have it," said the skipper excitably. "How dare they go on inthis way? Go and send ’em up directly,"

The mate, whistling cheerily, complied, and the four men, neatly attiredin scarlet, came on deck.

"Now, what’s all this nonsense about?" demanded the incensed man. "Whatdo you want?"

"We want your pore sinful soul," said Dick with ecstasy.

"Ay, an’ we’ll have it," said Joe, with deep conviction.

"So we will," said the other two, closing their eyes and smiling rapturously; "so we will. "

The skipper, alarmed, despite himself, at their confidence, turned astartled face to the mate.

"If you could see it now," continued Dick impressively, "you’d be frightened at it. If you could—"

"Get to your own end of the ship," spluttered the indignant skipper. "Get, before I kick you there!"

"Better let Sam have a try," said one of the other men, calmly ignoringthe fury of the master; "his efforts have been wonderfully blessed. Comehere, Sam. "

"There’s a time for everything" said Sam cautiously. "Let’s go for’ardand do what we can for him among ourselves. "

They moved off reluctantly, Dick throwing such affectionate glances atthe skipper over his shoulders that he nearly choked with rage.

"I won’t have it!" he said fiercely; "I’ll knock it out of ’em. "

"You can’t," said the mate. "You can’t knock sailor men about nowadays. The only thing you can do is to get rid of ’em. "

"I don’t want to do that," was the growling reply. "They’ve been with mea long time, and they’re all good men. Why don’t they have a go at you,I wonder?"

"Me?" said the mate, in indignant surprise. "Why, I’m a Seventh Day Baptist! They don’t want to waste their time over me. I’m all right. "

"You’re a pretty Seventh Day Baptist, you are!" replied the skipper. "Fust I’ve heard of it. "

"You don’t understand about such things," said the mate.

"It must be a very easy religion," continued the skipper.

"I don’t make a show of it, if that’s what you mean," rejoined the otherwarmly. "I’m one o’ them as believe in ‘iding my light under a bushel. "

"A pint pot’ud do easy," sneered the skipper. "It’s more in your line,too. "

"Anyway, the men reckernise it," said the mate loftily. "They don’t goan’ sit in their red jerseys an’ hold mothers’ meetings over me. "

"I’ll knock their blessed heads off!" growled the skipper. "I’ll learn’em to insult me!"

"It’s all for your own good," said the other. "They mean it kindly. Well, I wish ’em luck. "

With these hardy words he retired, leaving a seething volcano to pacethe deck, and think over ways and means of once more reducing his crewto what he considered a fit and proper state of obedience and respect.

The climax was reached at tea-time, when an anonymous hand was thrustbeneath the skylight, and a full-bodied tract fluttered wildly down andupset his tea.

"That’s the last straw!" he roared, fishing out the tract and throwingit on the floor. "I’ll read th
em chaps a lesson they won’t forget in ahurry, and put a little money in my pocket at the same time. I’ve got alittle plan in my ‘ed as come to me quite sudden this afternoon. Come ondeck, Bob. "