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“‘That’s all right, matey,’ said he, his teeth chatterin’ as I snugged him down. ‘But cut along and leave me afore the others come.’

“Well, that was sense in its way, though he didn’t seem to take account that there was only one way back for me–the way I’d come.

“‘You’ll do, all right?’ said I.

“‘I’ll do right enough now,’ said he. ‘You cut along.’

“So I left him. I was that chilled in my drippin’ clothes, the second swim did me more good than harm. When I got to the Early and Late, though, I was pretty dead beat, and it cost me half a dozen tries before I could heave myself on to the accommodation-ladder. Hows’ever, once on board I had a strip and a good rub-down, and tumbled to bed glowin’ like a babby.

“I slept like a top, too, this time. What woke me was a voice close abeam, hailin’ the Early and Late; and there was a brisk, brass-bound young chap alongside in a steam-launch, explainin’ as he’d brought out the boat, and why the harbour-master hadn’t sent her out last night. ‘As requested by your crew, Cap’n.’ ‘That’s very polite o’ them and o’ you, and o’ the harbour-master,’ said I; ‘and I wish you the compliments o’ the season.’ For I liked the looks of him there, smiling up in an obliging way, and Plymouth bells behind him all sounding to Church together for Christmas. ‘Same to you, Cap’n!’ he called out, and sheered off with a wave o’ the hand, having made the boat fast astern.

“I stared after him for a bit, and then I turned my attention to the Maid in Two Minds. Her boat, too, lay astern of her; and one of her crew was already on deck, swabbin’ down. After a bit, another showed up. But Dog Mitchell made no appearance.

“Nat’rally enough my thoughts ran on him durin’ breakfast; and, when ’twas done, I dressed myself and pulled over to inquire. By this time all three of his mates were on deck, and as I pulled close they drew together–much as to ask what I wanted.

“‘I came across,’ says I, ‘to ask after the boss. Is he all right this morning?’

“‘Why not?’ asked one o’ the men, suspicious-like, with a glance at the others. They were all pretty yellow in the gills after their night ashore.

“‘What’s up?’ says Dog Mitchell’s own voice on top o’ this: and the man heaved himself on deck and looked down on me.

“‘It’s the skipper of the Early and Late,’ said one of the fellows grinning; ‘as seems to say he has the pleasure o’ your acquaintance.’

“‘Does he?’ said Dog Mitchell slowly, chewing. The man’s eyes were bleared yet, but the drink had gone out of him with his shock: or the few hours’ sleep had picked him round. He hardened his eyes on me, anyway, and says he–‘Does he? Then he’s a bloody liar!’

“I didn’t make no answer, sir. I saw what he had in mind–that I’d come off on the first opportunity, cadgin’ for some reward. I turned the boat’s head about, and started to pull back for the Early and Late. The men laughed after me, jeering-like. And Dog Mitchell, he laughed, too, in the wake o’ them, with a kind of challenge as he saw my lack o’ pluck. And away back in Plymouth the bells kept on ringing.

“That’s the story. You asked how I could tell what the blessed Lord felt like when Peter denied. I don’t know. But I seemed to feel like it, just that once.”