your left shoulder, the dislocated right shoulder, the loose teeth and
the split lip? In fact, I am so certain five thousand dollars will not
cover your personal injuries I am willing to be a sport and add
something to the sum."

Michael J. Murphy grinned--rather a horrible grin it was, owing to his
swollen lip and jaw.

"Dutchy," he said, "listen to me: All the money in the world couldn't
make me be untrue to my salt. And if you have any lingering notion
that I'm not going to collect a million dollars' worth of satisfaction
for the way you've acted aboard my ship, I can only say that as a
fortune-teller you'll never earn enough money to keep yourself in
cigarettes. You say you have been trained to provide for all
conceivable emergencies, so I'm advising you, as a friend, to brace
yourself for the surprise of your life before you're a week older.
Have you pondered the possibility of sudden death aboard the S.S.
_Narcissus?_"

"Certainly. Should we be overhauled by a British cruiser I should take
a short cut to eternity. One naturally dislikes the thought of being
hanged for a pirate. It would be a reflection on one's family. As for
sudden death by violence at the hands of any member of the crew of
this steamship, I should be willing to risk quite a sum of money that
no such tragedy will be enacted."

"Just why?"

"Well, you'll be safe in this stateroom until I am ready to turn your
command back to you, and a man with two shoulders in the condition of