“Well，then，threecheersforthecaptain。”proposedTommy。
ButWicksheldupashakinghand。“Notthateither，boys。”hepleaded。“Thinkoftheotherbuffer，andlethimdowneasy。IfI’mlikethis，justfancywhatTopeliusis！Ifheheardussingingout，he’dhavethestaggers。”
Asamatteroffact，Topeliusacceptedhisdefeatwithagoodgrace；butthecrewofthewreckedLeslie，whowereinthesameemploymentandloyaltotheirfirm，tookthethingmorebitterly。Roughwordsanduglylookswerecommon。OnceeventheyhootedCaptainWicksfromthesaloonverandah；theCurrencyLassesdrewoutontheotherside；forsomeminutestherehadliketohavebeenabattleinButaritari；andthoughtheoccasionpassedoffwithoutblows，itleftoneithersideanincreaseofill-feeling。
Nosuchsmallmattercouldaffectthehappinessofthesuccessfultraders。Fivedaysmoretheshiplayinthelagoon，withlittleemploymentforanyonebutTommyandthecaptain，forTopelius’snativesdischargedcargoandbroughtballast；thetimepassedlikeapleasantdream；theadventurerssatuphalfthenightdebatingandpraisingtheirgoodfortune，orstrayedbydayinthenarrowisle，gapinglikeCockneytourists；andonthefirstofthenewyear，theCurrencyLassweighedanchorforthesecondtimeandsetsailfor’Frisco，attendedbythesamefineweatherandgoodluck。Shecrossedthedoldrumswithbutsmalldelay；onawindandinballastofbrokencoral，sheoutdidexpectations；and，whataddedtothehappinessoftheship’scompany，thesmallamountofworkthatfellonthemtodo，wasnowlessenedbythepresenceofanotherhand。ThiswastheboatswainoftheLeslie；hehadbeenonbadtermswithhisowncaptain，hadalreadyspenthiswagesinthesaloonsofButaritari，hadweariedoftheplace，andwhileallhisshipmatescoldlyrefusedtosetfootonboardtheCurrencyLass，hehadofferedtoworkhispassagetothecoast。HewasanorthofIrelandman，betweenScotchandIrish，rough，loud，humorous，andemotional，notwithoutsterlingqualities，andanexpertandcarefulsailor。Hisframeofmindwasdifferentindeedfromthatofhisnewshipmates；insteadofmakinganunexpectedfortune，hehadlostaberth；andhewasbesidesdisgustedwiththerations，andreallyappalledattheconditionoftheschooner。Astateroomdoorhadstuck，thefirstdayatsea，andMacastheycalledhimlaidhisstrengthtoitandpluckeditfromthehinges。
“Glory！”saidhe，“thisship’srotten。”