I nodded my head sulkily.
“What had you been up to? Skipper had you into the cabin, didn’t he?”
“Let him alone, will you,” cried Barkins. “What do you want to worry the poor chap for? The skipper’s had him over the coals.”
“Well, I know that, Bark. But what for?”
“What’s that to you? Let him alone.”
“But he might tell.”
“Well, he isn’t going to tell. If you must know, the Grand Panjandrum came and catched him talking to Squeezums, hanging over the bulwarks together.”
“Talking to who?”
“Well then, to Teapot, old Chinese Ching, and snubbed him for having the Yellow-skin so far aft. Didn’t he, Gnat?”
“Yes,” I said, quite truthfully.