“If she could weather a gale like that she could make another voyage.”

“She could start on another,” the sailor said gloomily, “but as like as not she’d never see the end o’t.”

“Come, come, you’re not quite yourself this morning, Miggs.  We value you as a dashing, fearless fellow—­let me fill your glass again—­who doesn’t fear a little risk where there’s something to be gained.  You’ll lose your good name if you go on like that.”

“She’s in a terrible bad way,” the captain insisted.  “You’ll have to do something before she can go.”

“What shall we have to do?”

“Dry dock her and give her a thorough overhaul.  She might sink before she got out o’ the Channel if she went as she is just now.”

“Very well,” the merchant said coldly.  “If you insist on it, it must be done.  But, of course, it would make a great difference in your salary.”

“Eh?”

“You are at present getting fifteen pounds a month, and five per cent. commission.  These are exceptional terms in consideration of any risk that you may run.  We shall dry dock the Black Eagle, and your salary is now ten pounds a month and two and a half commission.”

“Belay, there, belay!” the sailor shouted.  His coppery face was a shade darker than usual, and his bilious eyes had a venomous gleam in them.  “Don’t you beat me down, curse you!” he hissed, advancing to the table and leaning his hands upon it while he pushed his angry face forward until it was within a foot of that of the merchant.  “Don’t you try that game on, mate, for I am a free-born British seaman, and I am under the thumb of no man.”

“You’re drunk,” said the senior partner.  “Sit down!”

“You’d reduce my screw, would ye?” roared Captain Hamilton Miggs, working himself into a fury.  “Me that has worked for ye, and slaved for ye, and risked my life for ye.  You try it on, guv’nor; just you try it on!  Suppose I let out that little story o’ the painting out o’ the marks—­where would the firm of Girdlestone be then!  I guess you’d rather double my wage than have that yarn goin’ about.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?  You don’t know what I mean, do you?  Of course not.  It wasn’t you as set us on to go at night and paint out the Government Plimsoll marks and then paint ’em in again higher up, so as to be able to overload.  That wasn’t you, was it?”

“Do you mean to assert that it was?”

“In course I do,” thundered the angry seaman.

The senior partner struck the gong which stood upon the table.  “Gilray,” he said quietly, “go out and bring in a policeman.”

Captain Hamilton Miggs seemed to be somewhat startled by this sudden move of his antagonist.  “Steady your helm, governor,” he said.  “What are ye up to now?”

“I’m going to give you in charge.”

“What for?”

“For intimidation and using threatening language, and endeavouring to extort money under false pretences.”