“I don’t quite understand it,” said the mate, hoarsely. “Who was on the watch?”
There was a dead silence.
“Someone must have been. Does it mean that the poor fellow has been assassinated?”
“A-mussy, no, sir,” said Smith, grinning, “don’tcher see, sir? That was our other supper, as we hung up there to use to-night when t’other was done. The buck we brought home.”
“Oh!” exclaimed the mate. “How absurd. But what’s become of it?”
“It’s gone, sir.”
“Well, we can see that, my lad. But how has it been stolen?”
“Yes, sir, that’s about it. In the night. Must ha’ been the cat.”
“The what?”
“Well, sir, you see, I don’t means the ship’s cat, because we ain’t got one, but I means one o’ them great spotty big toms as lives in the woods here.”