prefer to believe that the ship is safe with those two Hibernians
aboard--win, lose or draw. And I want you two to quit picking on me; I
don't want the word '_Narcissus_' mentioned in my presence until the
ship is reported confiscated by the British, if her coal is for the
Germans, or by the Germans, if her coal is for the British--which it
isn't--or until Mike Murphy reports at Manila or Batavia and cables us
for orders."

"I'm with you there, sir," Matt Peasley declared. "I'm going to bank
on the Irish, and refuse to believe it possible for the _Nar_--for a
certain vessel flying our house-flag to be caught by the wrong
warship, a couple of thousand miles off her course and with coal, or
evidences of coal, in her cargo space. Buck up, Skinner. A little
Christian Science here, boy. Just make up your mind no man in
authority is going to come over the rail of the--of a certain
vessel--and ask Mike Murphy or his successor _pro tem._, for a look at
his papers!"

"If she ever is confiscated on an illegal errand," Skinner mourned,
"and Mike Murphy has nothing more tangible than a dime-novel tale of
coercion as an excuse for being in that latitude and longitude--well,
we'll never get our bully big ship back again!"

And for the first time in his life the efficient Mr. Skinner so far
forgot himself as to swear in the office!