‘Oh, no!’ exclaimed Perry, ‘that is too much. It may run up to a matter of five shillings a game, and I can’t afford it.’ ‘Well, we can’t play for _love_,’ sneered Harland; ‘never you mind, Perry, I’ll stand bail for both of us.’ ‘I object to that,’ said Farrell. ‘I do not wish to play for such high stakes any more than Mr Perry. I am simply playing to make the time pass, and don’t want to make or lose money by the game. You forget, Mr Harland, that we are not all like yourself, on a trip _for pleasure_!’ He emphasised the words unpleasantly, and Harland swore under his breath, but answered nothing. ‘Suppose we play for threepence a game,’ suggested Mr Pemberton. ‘As Farrell says, we don’t want to make money by the stones. All that is necessary to give zest to the victory is a small stake that shall benefit the winner without breaking his companions.’ ‘All right,’ assented Harland, in anything but a good humour; ‘go ahead. Double six begins. But, stop a minute. Before we start, we will toss for drinks round.’ To this proposition the other men were not strong-minded enough to object, and the silver coins were spun in the air, and clinked upon the table, resulting, luckily for them, in Godfrey Harland having to pay the forfeit, and the steward was despatched to the bar with the orders. The game was finished, and the players tossed again, and the stones were divided, and so it went on until five bells was struck, which was the signal for all the ship lights to be extinguished. ‘Lights out, please!’ sung out the third officer at the booby hatch. ‘In one minute, Mr Sparkes,’ replied Harland. ‘Let us finish the game, there’s a good fellow.’ ‘It is against the rule,’ said the junior mate; ‘I cannot disobey my orders.’ ‘Come down and have a glass of whisky, then,’ urged Mr Pemberton; ‘we have more than half a bottle left.’ To this invitation Mr Richard Sparkes did not reply that he could not disobey orders, but glancing aft to satisfy himself that the ‘old man’ was not on deck, he quickly descended the companion, and stepping up to the table, muttered his thanks, and swallowed the intoxicating draught. ‘You understand, don’t you, Sparkes,’ said Harland; ‘we shan’t be a minute, old man. Just shut down the hatch, and cover it with a tarpaulin, and if that d--d inquisitive second mate of yours discovers the glim, I’ll take the blame on myself.’