“‘I know I ought, sir,’ ’Enery ses, with a w’imper, ‘but I never thought it’d be like this.’
“The old man stares at him, and then he rubs his eyes and stares agin. ’Enery wiped his eyes and stood looking down at the deck.
“‘’Eavens above,’ ses the old man, in a dazed voice, ‘don’t tell me you’re a gal!’
“‘I won’t if you don’t want me to,’ ses ’Enery, wiping his eyes agin.
“‘What’s your name?’ ses the old man, at last.
“‘Mary Mallow, sir,’ ses ’Enery, very soft.
“‘What made you do it?’ ses the skipper, at last.
“‘My father wanted me to marry a man I didn’t want to,’ ses Miss Mallow. ‘He used to admire my hair very much, so I cut it off. Then I got frightened at what I’d done, and as I looked like a boy I thought I’d go to sea.’
“‘Well, it’s a nice responsibility for me,’ ses the skipper, and he called the mate, who ’ad just come on deck, and asked his advice. The mate was a very straitlaced man—for a mate—and at fust he was so shocked ’e couldn’t speak.
“‘She’ll have to come aft,’ he ses, at last.