Captain Bagley sat down and pondered over the matter for some time. "How do you feel?" he asked suddenly.
"Pretty good," said Alec, "though my head aches something fierce. I reckon it's from the bump I got."
"Well, that settles it. You don't ketch no oysters to-morrow."
"What do you mean?" asked Alec.
"I mean that you are not going out to the oyster grounds."
"Indeed I am," said Alec. "I'd be a nice sort of a pill to lay off when you're so short handed, just because I got a ducking."
"Don't you give me any back talk," said the skipper, "or I'll throw you overboard again. I know a lot more about falling into cold water than you do. You may have a high fever by morning. And anyway, it's going to be a darned nasty day. There's a storm brewin', and you'd more than likely get sick. Then I would be up against it, wouldn't I, with only three hands to work two dredges. I've got to have men I can depend upon."
"You can depend upon me," protested Alec. "I'll work even if I am sick. Won't you let me go, please? I just can't afford to lose a day. I need the money so bad, sir."
"What for? You got a place to sleep and plenty to eat. Why do you need money so bad?"
Alec turned his face away from the captain. "It's some bills I owe at home," he said. There were tears in his voice, though he kept them out of his eyes, and the captain forbore to question him.