duplicity can't be overlooked. If there's anything I hate it's
duplicity. Here goes, Scraggsy--and get yourself a new navigatin'
officer."

Scraggs twisted and flinched instantly, and Mr. Gibney's great
boot missed the mark. "Ah," he breathed, "I'll give you an extra
for that."

"Don't! Please don't," Scraggs howled. "Lay off'n me an' I'll put
in a new boiler an' have the compass adjusted."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than Mr. McGuffey swung
him clear of Mr. Gibney's wrath. "Swear it," he hissed. "Raise
your right hand an' swear it--an' I'll protect you from Gib."

Captain Scraggs raised a trembling right hand and swore it. "I'll
get a new fire hose an' fire buckets; I'll fix the ash hoist and
run the bedbugs an' cockroaches out of her," he added.

"You hear that, Gib?" McGuffey pleaded. "Have a heart."

"Not unless he gives her a coat of paint an' quits bickerin'
about the overtime, Bart."

"I promise," Scraggs answered him. "Pervided," he added, "you an'
dear ol' Mac promises to stick by the ship."

"It's a whack," yelled McGuffey joyfully, and whirling, struck
Dan Hicks a mighty blow on the jaw. "Off our ship, you hoodlums."
He favoured Jack Flaherty with a hearty thump and swung again on