the fellow, utterly ignoring my meaning. "It's always so with every
hooker if she's deep. Some takes it forrad and aft, and some takes it
amidships. It's all one s'long as she keeps a dry bilge. Come aboard."

I hesitated, and then climbed up the mizzen channels, which were level
with the wharf.

"Short handed?" I suggested, reaching the deck.

"Naw, there's nobody but me an' the doctor in the after guard; we'll get
a crew aboard early in the morning, though; skipper, too, if what they
say is kerrect."

"Where's the captain?" I asked.

He looked queerly at me for a moment; then he spread his short legs
wide apart, and thrust his great hands into his trousers pockets
before speaking.

"Ain't ye never heard? Limbo, man, and a bad job, too." Here he made a
motion with his hand around his neck which I understood.

"Murder?"

He nodded.

I hesitated about staying any longer, and he spoke up.

"Got a hog-yoke, I see," he said, "Be ye a mate?"