boot overboard in his baste, which necessitated much intricate
angling with the boat-hook ere it was recovered.

"They're Peter's, you know," he explained as he emptied out the
water.

"I took them out of the harness-room; a pirate must have boots,
you know, but I'm afraid Peter'll swear."

"Not a doubt of it when he sees them," I said as we pushed off.

"I wish," he began, looking round thoughtfully after a minute or
so, "I wish we could get a plank or a yardarm from somewhere."

"What for, my Imp?"

"Why, don't you remember, pirates always had a plank for people to
'walk,' you know, an' used to 'swing them up to the yard-arm.'

"You seem to know all about it," I said as I pulled slowly down
stream.

"Oh, yes, I read it all in Scarlet Sam, the Scourge of the South
Seas. Scarlet Sam was fine. He used to stride up and down the
quarterdeck an' flourish his cutlass, an' his eyes would roll,
an' he'd foam at the mouth, an - "

"Knock everybody into 'the lee scuppers,'" I put in.

"Yes," cried the Imp in a tone of unfeigned surprise. "How did