"It wasn't a what; it was a who," said his wife; "it was Silas Bagge."
"The dickens it was," said Will, and with that he left her.
"Call all hands and let them muster aft," he said to McGill, who, much wondering, did what he was told. The watch on deck dropped their jobs and the watch below turned out.
"Call the names over," said Ryder, sternly.
"They're all here, sir," said McGill.
The skipper looked down at the upturned faces of the men and singled out Silas Bagge as if he meant to speak to him. But he checked himself, and, going down to the main deck, walked for'ard to the fo'c's'le. The men turned to look after him, and there was a grin on every face which would have been ample for two. Ryder walked quietly, and pushing aside the canvas door he came on a party playing poker. He heard strange voices.
"I go one petter, moreover," said one of them.
"I see you and go two better," said a man with a Newcastle burr in his speech.
Then Ryder took a hand.
"And I see you," he remarked. They dropped their cards and jumped to their feet.