"It's all right," said captain number one, and in a rash moment undertook
to explain. In five minutes he had clouded Captain Cooper's intellect
for the afternoon.

He was still busy with his self-imposed task when a diversion was created
by the entrance of a new arrival. A short, stout man stood for a moment
with the handle of the door in his hand, and then came in, carefully
bearing before him a glass of gin and water. It was the first time that
he had set foot there, and all understood that by this intrusion Mr.
Daniel Kybird sought to place sea-captains and other dignitaries on a
footing with the keepers of slop-shops and dealers in old clothes. In
the midst of an impressive silence he set his glass upon the table and,
taking a chair, drew a small clay pipe from his pocket.

[Illustration: "A diversion was created by the entrance of a new
arrival."]

Aghast at the intrusion, the quartette conferred with their eyes, a
language which is perhaps only successful in love. Captain Cooper, who
was usually moved to speech by externals, was the first to speak.

"You've got a sty coming on your eye, Hall," he remarked.

"I daresay."

"If anybody's got a needle," said the captain, who loved minor
operations.

Nobody heeded him except the harbour-master, and he muttered something
about beams and motes, which the captain failed to understand. The