“I went back to the cabin at last, and arter lighting the lamp I ’ad another sup o’ the skipper’s whisky to clear my ’ead, and sat down to try and think wot tale I was to tell ’im.  I sat for pretty near three hours without thinking of one, and then I ’eard the crew come on to the wharf.

“They was a bit startled when they saw my ’ead at the skylight, and then they all started at the same time asking me wot I was doing.  I told ’em to let me out fust and then I’d tell ’em, and one of ’em ’ad just stepped round to the companion when the skipper come on to the wharf and stepped aboard.  He stooped down and peeped at me through the skylight as though he couldn’t believe ’is eyesight, and then, arter sending the hands for’ard and telling ’em to stay there, wotever ’appened, he unlocked the companion and came down.”