ni A STARCH-COLLAR JOKER 135 



to the days when there were few visitors about 

 to ask questions. 'Thic starch-collar joker '11 be 

 down under cliff t'morrow looking for broken- 

 legged ducks, you see. I hain't going to tell the 

 likes o' they question-asking interlopers that our 

 sort o' lame ducks is drifters wi' more herrings 

 in their nets than they can take aboard. Let 'em 

 look!' 



Darkness had by this time crept over the sea. 

 Along the southern horizon was a shadowy bank 

 of cumulus clouds. 'They woolpacks,' Benjie 

 remarked, 'hain't there for nort; nobody won't 

 go to sea t'morrow night.' In the cloudless nor'- 

 west, the sky, faintly tinged with green, was dark, 

 deep, and, as It seemed, infinitely empty; yet from 

 it, black on the water, came spiteish puffs of wind 

 that heeled the boat over and quickened the lap- 

 lap of the wavelets against her strakes into one 

 continuous, most musical note. Behind us the 

 comfortable stationary lights of the little town 

 receded into a blur; while, as we neared the fleet, 

 its glimmering, slightly swaying lights increased in 

 number till it seemed that, before us, was a forest 

 hung with lamps. 'They west'ard chaps,' said 

 Benjie with a chuckle, 'be up 'long t'night. 

 They'll hae 'em!' 



