“Well, as I was sayin’, all at once the lookout calls out, ’Land ho!’—­leastways he croaked it, ’cos what with weakness and little water our throats was as dry as last year’s biscuit.

“‘Where away?’ croaks first mate, which I remember his name was Tonking.

“And there, sure enough, we seed a small island, which it might be a quarter-mile long.  Now, mind you, we hadn’t made a knot for three weeks.  How did that island come there so sudden like?  In course, it must ha’ come up from the bottom o’ the sea.  And as we was a-lookin’ at it we saw it grow, mateys—­long spits o’ land shootin’ out this side, that side, and t’other side—­and the whole concarn begins to move towards us, comin’ on, hand over hand, slow, dead slow, but sure and steady.  Our jaws were just a-droppin’ arter our teeth when fust mate busts out in a laugh; by thunder, I remember that there laugh today! ’twas like—­well, I don’t know what ‘twas like, if not the scrapin’ of a handsaw; an’ says he, ’By Neptune, ‘tis a darned monstrous squid!’

“And, sure enough, that was what it was, a squid as big round as the Isle o’ Wight, with arms that ud reach from Wapping Stairs to Bugsby Marshes, and just that curly shape.  An’ what was more, ‘twas steerin’ straight for us.  Ay, mateys, ’twas a horrible moment!”

The seamen, even Parmiter the scoffer, were listening open mouthed, when a hoarse voice broke the spell, cutting short Bulger’s story and dispersing the group.

“Here you, Burke, you, up aloft and pay the topmost with grease.  I’ll have no lazy lubbers aboard my ship, I tell you.  I’ve got no use for nobody too good for his berth.  No Jimmy Duffs for me!  Show a leg, or, by heavens, I’ll show you a rope’s end and make my mark—­mind that, my lad!”

Captain Barker turned to the man at his side.

“’Twas an ill turn you did me and the ship’s company, Mr. Diggle, bringing this useless lubber aboard.”

“It does appear so, captain,” said Diggle sorrowfully.  “But ’tis his first voyage, sir:  discipline—­a little discipline!”

Meanwhile Desmond, without a word, had moved away to obey orders.  He had long since found the uselessness of protest.  Diggle had taken him on board the Good Intent an hour before sailing.  He left him to himself until the vessel was well out in the mouth of the Thames, and then came with a rueful countenance and explained that, after all his endeavors, the owners had absolutely refused to accept so youthful a fellow as supercargo.  Desmond felt his cheeks go pale.

“What am I to be, then?” he asked quietly.

“Well, my dear boy, Captain Barker is rather short of apprentices, and he has no objection to taking you in place of one if you will make yourself useful.  He is a first-rate seaman.  You will imbibe a vast deal of useful knowledge and gain a free passage, and when we reach the Indies I shall be able, I doubt not, by means of my connections, to assist you in the first steps of what, I trust, will prove a successful career.”