The prisoner, who had heard all, writhed about the deck and made an inarticulate sound.
“He’s pleased with the prospect,” said Clif, sweetly. “If there is anything Crane likes on this mundane sphere, it is to be painted red, decorated with oakum whiskers, and turned loose with an appropriate chorus of tin pans. My, oh, my! Won’t the captain be pleased to meet him!”
“I don’t think,” muttered Joy.
“Get the paint ready, Nanny,” added Faraday, briskly. “You will find it behind the ladder. Pick out a bright carmine, and a good scratchy brush. Toggles, see what you can do in the shape of an artistic whisker. Make it long and imposing as befits his exalted station. I’ll take a peep on deck.”
The lamp was shaded so its rays would fall upon the victim’s face, and Nanny and Toggles fell to work. Trolley and Joy held Crane prostrate upon the floor.
Clif slipped up the ladder to the berth deck, and made a careful survey of the situation. He found everything quiet. Proceeding to the gun deck he listened carefully to see if anything was astir. Finding all apparently undisturbed, he glided up the hatchway ladder leading to the spar deck.
As Clif stepped from the top of the ladder he saw a lieutenant and five very unhappily looking third class cadets approaching from aft.
He just had time to dodge into the shadow of the bulwarks when they halted at the hatch. The officer was speaking in a stem voice:
“Now, go below and behave yourselves,” he said, addressing them collectively. “If I hear any more of this nonsense I’ll put you on report for punishment. Fancy five sensible cadets with two years of service being silly enough to believe an order like that. I’m ashamed of you. Some plebe has fooled you. And he did it cleverly, too. Go below and turn in at once. Remember, I’ll be down there in a minute or so. If you are not in your hammocks you will get demerits enough to swamp you.”
The five dolefully filed down the ladder and disappeared in the gloom below. Clif saw the lieutenant shake as if with suppressed laughter. It was evident he keenly enjoyed the situation.