142 THE CAST-AWAY. 



But Mattapoisett was the recognized ring- 

 leader. " Avast I " he cried, " See all clear ! 

 Shove them hig doors open ! We '11 do for 

 the son of a sea-cook ! We '11 do for him hand- 

 some ! Bear a hand there, my bully chummies, 

 handsomely ! Cheerily ! Now, shipmates, all 

 together ! " 



With that the ruffians seized hold of the 

 cooper's canoe, rushed it swiftly down the beach, 

 and launched it out into the darkness and the 

 night. 



Then they staggered back into their lair, shut 

 the big doors, laid in a new bottle of " close- 

 reef," drank the health of the castaway cooper, 

 and toasted his many virtues. 



They topped off the barrel-smith's obsequies 

 with that ghastly sailor-song since made famous 

 by Stevenson : 



" Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, 

 Yo - ho - ho, and a bottle of rum.' ' 



"Rum, rum, rum, an' bottle o' ho -ho!" mut- 

 tered the hilarious Weatherface. " Let by-gones 

 be 'gones ! Somebody sing sholly janty ! " 



Burkett, so merry that he had quite forgotten 

 his somewhat recent discomfiture, called lustily 

 for a chanty from Mattapoisett Joe. The whole 

 crowd took up the cry. 



