“‘Well, what is it?’ ses the mate.
“‘It wouldn’t be any good if I was to explain to you,’ ses the skipper; ‘some people’s heads are too thick.’
“‘I know they are,’ ses the mate.
“The committee broke up after that, but it got amiable agin over breakfast next morning, and made quite a fuss over Miss Mallow. It was wonderful what a difference a night aft had made in that gal. She’d washed herself beautiful, and had just frizzed ’er ’air, which was rather long, over ’er forehead, and the committee kept pursing its lips up and looking at each other as Mr. Fisher talked to ’er and kep’ on piling ’er plate up.
“She went up on deck after breakfast and stood leaning against the side talking to Mr. Fisher. Pretty laugh she’d got, too, though I never noticed it when she was in the fo’c’s’le. Perhaps she hadn’t got much to laugh about then; and while she was up there enjoying ’erself watching us chaps work, the committee was down below laying its ’eads together agin.
“When I went down to the cabin agin it was like a dressmaker’s shop. There was silk handkerchiefs and all sorts o’ things on the table, an’ the skipper was hovering about with a big pair of scissors in his hands, wondering how to begin.
“‘I shan’t attempt anything very grand,’ he ses, at last; ‘just something to slip over them boy’s clothes she’s wearing.’
“The mate didn’t say anything. He was busy drawing frocks on a little piece of paper, and looking at ’em with his ’ead on one side to see whether they looked better that way.
“‘By Jove! I’ve got it,’ ses the old man, suddenly. ‘Where’s that dressing-gown your wife gave you?’
“The mate looked up. ‘I don’t know,’ he ses, slowly. ‘I’ve mislaid it.’