“‘Are you going to join or are you not?’ was the question.
“‘I give in,’ said Toney.
“‘Come along then,’ said his visitor.
“Toney crawled out and up the ladder of the main hatchway. He found that he was on board a brigantine, a rakish-looking craft, with several officers standing aft by the captain, and a numerous crew, among whom he saw Joe Gubbins. He couldn’t help lifting his fist and shaking it at Joe, who stood with a brazen face looking as if the threat could not be intended for him.
“‘Are you hungry, my man?’ asked an officer, whom he supposed to be the captain.
“‘Can’t say but what I am,’ said Toney.
“‘Then there’ll be plenty of grub for you when you’ve signed these articles.’
“‘Should like to know what they are, sir,’ said Toney.
“‘There’s the book; you may read them,’ said the captain. ‘Put your name down at the bottom of the page.’
“Now Toney was no great hand at reading or writing. He could just manage to scrawl his name. He tried to make out what the articles were about, but it was more than he could do.