Mr Rogers pondered this for some while in silence. Then he struck a
hand-bell beside him, and his summons was answered by a small
short-skirted handmaiden who had waited table.

"Pipe's out, my dear," he announced. "An' while you're about it you may
mix us another glassful apiece."

"Not for me, thank 'ee," said Captain Cai.

"An' not for him, neither," said the girl. She was but a child, yet she
spoke positively, and yet again without disrespect in her manner.
"'Tis poison for 'ee," she added, knocking out the ash from her master's
churchwarden pipe and refilling it from the tobacco-jar. "You know what
the doctor said?"

"Ugh!--a pair o' tyrants, you an' the doctor! Just a thimbleful now--if
the Cap'n here will join me."

"You heard him? He don't want another glass."

Her solemn eyes rested on Captain Cai, and he repeated that he would
take no more grog.

She struck a match and held it to the pipe while the chandler drew a few
puffs. Then she was gone as noiselessly as she had entered.

"That's a question now," observed Captain Cai after a pause.

"What's a question?"