they will be when we arrive there. Captain Scraggs, you will have
your mate pipe the crew to muster and ascertain their feelin's on
the subject of takin' a chance with Commodore Gibney. If they
object to goin' further, we'll land 'em in Panama an' pay 'em off
as agreed. If they feel like followin' the Jolly Roger we'll give
'em the coast seaman's scale for a deep-water cruise and a five
per cent. bonus in case we turn a big trick."

Captain Scraggs went at once on deck. Ten minutes later he
returned to report that the mate and the four seamen elected to
stick by the ship.

"Bully boys," said the commodore, "bully boys. I like that mate.
He's a smart man and handles a gun well. While I should hesitate
to take advantage of my prerogative as commodore to interfere
with the normal workin's of the deck department, I trust that on
this special occasion our esteemed navigatin' officer, Captain
Scraggs, will not consider it beneath his dignity or an attack on
his office if I suggest to him that he brew another kettle of
grog for the crew."

"Second the motion," replied McGuffey.

"Carried," said Scraggs, and proceeded to heat some water.

"Anything further?" stated the president.

"How about uniforms?" This from Captain Scraggs.

"We'll leave that to Gib," suggested McGuffey. "He's been in the