“So we went back an' told the cook that he didn't have t' worry no more
about gettin' a wife; an' he said he was more glad than sorry, an', says
he, she'd better get her bonnet, t' go aboard an' get married right
away. An' she 'lowed she didn't want no bonnet, but _would_ like to
change her pinny. So we said we'd as lief wait a spell, though a clean
pinny wasn't _needed_. An' when she got back, the cook said he 'lowed
the skipper could marry un well enough 'til we over-hauled a real
parson; an' she thought so, too, for, says she, 'twouldn't be longer
than fall, an' any sort of a weddin', says she, would do 'til then. An'
aboard we went, the cook an' me pullin' the punt, an' she steerin'; an'
the cook he crowed an' cackled all the way, like a half-witted rooster;
but the maid didn't even cluck, for she was too wonderful solemn t' do
anything but look at the moon.
“'Skipper,' said the cook, when we got in the fo'c's'le, 'here she is.
_I_ isn't afeared,' says he, 'and _she_ isn't afeared; an' now I 'low
we'll have you marry us.'
“Up jumps the skipper; but he was too much s'prised t' say a word.
“'An' I'm thinkin',' says the cook, with a nasty little wink, 'that they
isn't a man in this here fo'c's'le,' says he, 'will _say_ I'm afeared.'
“'Cook,' says the skipper, takin' the cook's hand, 'shake! I never
knowed a man like you afore,' says he. 'T' my knowledge, you're the on'y
man in the Labrador fleet would do it. I'm proud,' says he, 't' take the
hand o' the man with nerve enough t' marry Walrus Liz o' Whoopin'
Harbor.'
“The devil got in the eyes o' the cook--a jumpin' little brimstone
devil, ecod!
“'Ay, lad,' says the skipper, 'I'm proud t' know the man that isn't
afeared o' Walrus--'
“'Don't you call her that!' says the cook. 'Don't you do it, skipper!'
“I was lookin' at Liz. She was grinnin' in a holy sort o' way. Never
seed nothin' like that afore--no, lads, not in all my life.
“'An' why not, cook?' says the skipper.
“'It ain't her name,' says the cook.
“'It ain't?' says the skipper. 'But I been sailin' the Labrador for
twenty year,' says he, 'an' I ain't never heared her called nothin' but
Walrus--'
“The devil got into the cook's hands then. I seed his fingers clawin'
the air in a hungry sort o' way. An' it looked t' me like squally
weather for the skipper.
“'Don't you do it no more, skipper,' says the cook. 'I isn't got no
wits,' says he, 'an' I'm feelin' wonderful queer!'
“The skipper took a look ahead into the cook's eyes. 'Well, cook,' says
he, I 'low,' says he, 'I won't.'
“Liz laughed--an' got close t' the fool from Thunder Arm. An' I seed her
touch his coat-tail, like as if she loved it, but didn't dast do no
more.
“'What you two goin' t' do?' says the skipper.
“'We 'lowed you'd marry us,' says the cook, ''til we come across a
parson.'
“'I will,' says the skipper. 'Stand up here,' says he. 'All hands stand
up!' says he. 'Tumm,' says he, 'get me the first Book you comes across.'
“I got un a Book.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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