“If you please, sir—” began the cook.
He opened the door as he spoke, and disclosed the lightly-clad crowd behind. The skipper’s eyes grew large and his jaw dropped, while inarticulate words came from his parched and astonished throat; and the mate, who was by this time awake, sat up in his bunk and cursed them roundly for their indelicacy.
“Get out,” roared the skipper, recovering his voice.
“We came to tell you,” interposed Bill, “as ‘ow——”
“Get out,” roared the skipper again. “How dare you come to my state-room, and like this, too.”
“All our clothes ’ave gone and so ’as the sojer chap,” said Bill.
“Serve you damned well right for letting him go,” cried the skipper, angrily. “Hurry up, George, and get alongside,” he called to the mate, “we’ll catch him yet. Clear out, you—you—ballet girls.”
The indignant seamen withdrew slowly, and, reaching the foot of the companion, stood there in mutinous indecision. Then, as the cook placed his foot on the step, the skipper was heard calling to the mate again.
“George?” he said, in an odd voice.
“Well?” was the reply.