His face darkened. He had shaved himself clean since the night, and as he showed me his teeth I thought I had never seen so vile a mouth. It had degenerated dreadfully since his boyhood. "Take care," he snarled; "you're being done pretty well so far. You've the second best stateroom aboard, and the cuddy tucker's all right. Don't you forget we've got a hold and irons, and rats and rancid pork as well!" He turned on his heel, and I walked to the binnacle. Next moment he joined me there, dropping a hand upon my shoulder. "East-by-south-a-quarter-east," said he; "we cleared the Heads last night--bound for Rio Grande, or something like it--and that chunk on the port bow is Wilson Promontory. So now you know. And look here, Beetle, old chap, you've been good to me; I don't want to be rough on you. Did you really think I was going to do as we said? My good fellow, how could you? See here, Beetle: the yacht's a well-known yacht, Watson's a well-known yachtsman, and he was in Melbourne to divert suspicion the day I did the trick. He stands in for his share. Why not stand in yourself? You've earned your little bit, if anybody has!" "I thought you didn't want to be rough on me," said I wearily. "Have you got it all aboard?" "Have I not! Every penny-piece!" "And who's Watson?" I was at once introduced to the marine monster in blue, with the superfluous comment, "I believe you've met before. Captain Watson owns and skips this ship, and I skip and own the money; I'm purser, so to speak, but there'll be fair do's at the end of the voyage. You'd much better stand in, Beetle. The captain and I are both quite clear on the point." "Oh, so am I," cried I ironically. "When one of you two has knifed the other for his share, I intend sticking the one who's left!" "I consider that remark," said the captain, colouring, "in the worst of taste; and if you weren't a friend of Mr. Deedes, I should kick you off my quarter-deck." Mr. Deedes looked thunderous, but said nothing. "Oh, come," said I, "if we can't have our joke what can we have? I admit, if there'd been any truth in what I said--any chance or possibility of truth--I should have merited a visitation from the captain's boots; but as I was talking arrant nonsense, what did it matter?" I expected a blow for that, and tried to look as though I did not, being extremely anxious to return it with effect. I was, in fact, the slave all this time of emotional cross-currents, which made my revulsion from these villains the stronger because it was not continuous. I had more than tolerated them at first, but all at once I found myself desiring hold and rats and irons, rather than a continuance of their society. At this moment, however, the old and evil-looking steward was to be seen carrying smoking dishes to the house; the sight appealed to me in another place; and I will own to having changed my manner with some abruptness, and to adding an apologetic word on top of that.