"Kipping!" Mr. Cledd, the new chief mate was saying. "Not William
Kipping?"
Roger got down the attested copy of the articles and pointed at the neatly written name: "William Kipping."
Mr. Cledd looked very grave indeed. "I've heard of Falk—he's a vicious scoundrel in some ways, although too weak to be dangerous of his own devices But I know Kipping."
"Tell me about him,' said Roger.
"Kipping is the meanest, doggonedest, low-down wharf-runner that ever robbed poor Jack of his wages. That's Kipping. Furthermore, he never signed a ship's articles unless he thought there was considerable money in it somewhere. I tell you, Captain Hamlin, he's an angry, disappointed man at this very minute. If you want to know what I think, he's out somewhere on those seas yonder—just—waiting. We've not seen the last of Kipping."
Roger got up, and walking over to the chest of ammunition, thoughtfully regarded it.
"No, sir!" Mr. Cledd reiterated, "if Kipping's Kipping, we've not seen the last of him."
[Illustration:]