“Well, if so be as I must, I must,” said the little sailor. “The men says they wants Jacko, and—Lor’ a me!”
As he spoke he had gone down on one knee to reach into the barrel and get hold of Jack’s leg, but at the angry remonstrative cry of the monkey as he felt it seized, Bruff made so furious an attack upon the sailor that he started back and rolled over, to find Bruff spring upon his chest.
“Hold hard, mate; don’t bite. I gives up,” said Billy quietly. “Call him off, Mr Mark, sir.”
But the lad had already caught the dog by the collar, and dragged him away growling.
Just then Jack sprang out of the barrel chattering loudly, and bounded toward the main hatchway. Bruff followed as if understanding the call, and as the monkey sprang down the dog leaped after him, but did not descend the steps so cleverly as his quadrumanous friend, the fact being made plain to those on deck by a loud scratching and scuffling noise, followed by a heavy bump.
“That there’s the dog,” said Billy sitting up and scratching his ear. “His head’s too heavy for going down them steps nose fust. Think we can catch Jack now?”
“No, that you will not,” said Mark, laughing at his companion’s troubled face. “Did Bruff frighten you?”
“S’pose he did, sir. He made me feel mortal queer for a minute. But I s’pose he wouldn’t bite. Here, they may fetch the monkey theirselves,” he continued, rising slowly; “I shan’t try no more; and if his manners is spylte by ’sociating with dogs it aren’t my fault.”
Billy Widgeon went forward toward the forecastle in his calm even-tempered way, and Mr Morgan, who had been looking on from the poop-deck, came and joined Mark, to stand talking with him as they leaned over the side gazing up at the transparent starry sky, or down at the clear dark sea, while they listened to the rushing water as the great ship glided on under quite a cloud of canvas. The night was now dark, with the ship’s sailing lanterns and the glow from the cabin-windows showing faintly and casting reflections upon the unruffled sea.
“Suppose we were to run on to another ship, Mr Morgan,” said Mark at last, breaking a long silence. “What then?”