122 EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 
sorted sounds ever heard outside of a ship-yard. 
Right in the middle of it, the door burst open, and in 
rushed Minnie, the cook, with a dipper of water, 
under the impression that her favorite fear of fire had 
at last come to pass. Close behind her was the 
Quartermaster-General, sometimes known as Mother, 
while almost at the same instant old John, the gar- 
dener, ran up on the porch with an axe, shouting 
hopefully, “Hould him! I’m comin’!” under the 
impression that there was a fight of sorts well under 
way. 
The voting stopped suddenly, and the Captain 
looked quite ashamed as he explained. Mother 
pretended to be very indignant. 
“Some day,” she said, “‘you’ll all be in terrible 
danger and you’ll shout and yell and scream and 
bellow for help but not one of us will come, will we, 
John?” 
“Divil a step,” called back John, as he clumped 
disappointedly down the steps, his unused axe over 
his shoulder. 
The Quartermaster-General agreed to withdraw 
her threat only after the Captain had pledged the 
honor of the Band that there should be no further 
disgustful noises within the house. Thereafter there 
were hurryings and skurryings and dashings to and 
fro, in. preparation for the great adventure. Honey 
put fresh rubbers on his trusty sling-shot, with 
which he could frequently hit a barn-door at five 
paces. Trottie oiled up the air-rifle, which he was 
only allowed to use in windowless wildernesses. 
