“Take away the beef, stewardess,” he said in a natural tone, ignoring the question. “Steward. Steward there. You may take away. Mrs. Stukeley, I hope you’ll give us a song afterwards. If you’ll give us a song, and Mr. Iles a tune on his fiddle, I’ll bring in another treat, and we’ll all be merry.”
“What treat have you for us, captain?” asked Margaret.
“I’ve got a box of raisin-candy, from Ilo, in Peru,” he answered. “It’s said to be a great dainty; but some people find it too sweet. But only if you sing, Mrs. Stukeley.”
“Oh, I’ll sing. I haven’t sung for a week now. I shall be delighted to sing.”
“And you’ll sing, too, Mr. Stukeley?”
“Oh, I vote we don’t sing. Let’s have cards. There’s no sense in caterwauling.”
“I got a fine song,” said Mr. Iles, taking a pull at his glass of spirits.
“What song is that?” said Perrin.
“The lament of the old buccaneer, it’s called. It’s about a pirate who was hanged. B’gee. He’d been captain in a merchant ship after. But they hung him.”
Captain Cammock asked the company if they would have any more duff. He himself had had more than enough.