"Keep your eyes about you, for'ard there," ordered the Captain tersely.
"Aye, aye, sir," sang out the mate cheerfully.
The mud pilot, beside the Captain on the bridge, grinned agreeably.
"Arthur's got an eye in his head, indeed," he remarked, and lifted his cap to Minnie.
The Captain snorted, and gave his whole attention to hauling out, only turning his head at the last minute to wave a farewell to his owner's daughter. The mud pilot took charge and brought her clear; and as soon as he had gone over to his boat, the Captain rang for full steam ahead and waited for the mate to take the bridge.
The young man came up smiling. "It's a fine morning, father," he remarked, as he walked over to the binnacle.
"Mister Mate," said the Captain harshly, "you all but lost me that hawser."
"Just in time, wasn't it?" replied the mate pleasantly.
"I don't reckon to slack off and take in my lines myself," went on the Captain. "I reckon to leave that to my officers. And if an officer carries; away a five-inch manila through makin' eyes at girls on the pier-head, I dock his wages for the cost of it, and I log him for neglectin' his duty."
The mate looked: at him sharply for a moment; the Captain scowled back.