"I haven't got much against you, Willie; you owe me for a couple of plugs of tobacco, but we'll let that go," I said.
"'No, we don't, Bo; youse charge it all up right an' proper. Den I got a small account agin de ship--which I'll settle right now----'
"But old Jim was too quick for him.
"'Take him forward and keep him in irons until we get in. We'll get inside before dark,' I ordered. You know how it is when a ship comes in. The land sharks were there in swarms, but among them was old man Jackson waiting for his son. They went away hand in hand, the old man never even speaking to me--I always thought he knew.
"Our cargo was valued at about half a million. It was nearly all Jackson's, as he owned the greatest shares in all the ships. We docked and were forced to lay right behind a barge loaded with dynamite, nearly two tons of it ready for taking out in the morning to blow Hell Gate rock.
"Bowles had gone ashore with the rest, and Rose had stepped up the street for a 'first night' off. He was not due until midnight. I always suspected the second officer or the dago--I don't know, only neither of them ever showed up again. They both had seen the President of the line take his son, his young hopeful, away with him. They both had suffered much from his hands. Perhaps it was revenge--to try to get even with the father for the son's sins. Anyhow, I had hardly turned in that night, leaving old Jones, the shipkeeper, on deck, when the old fellow ran below and told me the ship was afire forward. I turned out instantly and was on deck.
"The ship was burning like a beacon from the foremast to the t'gallant forecastle. She seemed to be spread with oil. Jones was seventy and unable to do much. I ran forward and yelled for help. In ten minutes the engines were playing a stream upon the ship and a fireboat was flooding her from aft. Jackson came down on the run to see his vessel being destroyed and his cargo vanishing in black smoke. He had had trouble with the insurance, and he was worried. Then while he stood upon the dock and spoke to me as I stood upon the rail amidships, I was aware of a small figure near him.
"'Aw, say, Bo, youse better get away from there--cut out, see? There's powder to blow youse to hell and back right there in that lighter. Youse ain't got more'n a minute, cully. Better git gay wid de lines.'
"Then I recognized Willie. He had come down to see the blaze and was calling attention to the thing we had forgotten for the moment.
"'Call de watch, an' I'll lend youse a hand.'