This construction, regulated by the sea usage of man-of-war’s men, who had grown gray and poverty stricken in “service,” was so generous in the sincerity of honest proposition for revoking the captain’s liberality that he asked time for consideration. In submission the procession, headed by the two honest tars, retreated to the “for’ard” hatch, on which they placed their well-filled hats to await the captain’s decision. A consultation with the members of the corps was immediately held to decide upon a method to insure an equitable division of the gold suited to the emergency. After a variety of propositions had been made and rejected, the padre advanced one that proved the most acceptable. His suggestion was that the passengers and officers should abide contented with their own gatherings, as they were proportionately less than those of the crew; but that an equal division of theirs should be made to avoid envy. When this equitable measure was made known to the men, Jack, with the advice of Bill, objected that the most important persons had been left out, which in their opinion were the vessel and captain. As this amended consideration met with general approval, it was adopted. Then Antonio, the steward, said, that the men for’ard, from being accustomed to work, had gathered so much more in proportion than those aft, he would propose to “lump” the whole for an equal division, after one fifth had been deducted for the vessel’s and captain’s share. This was acted upon, notwithstanding the captain’s protest that all should share alike. The division accomplished, there was a hearty shaking of hands that opened a sympathetic current of reciprocation void of selfish envy, which as an omen heralded a happy result for their adventurous voyage. After the parties to this happy arbitration had resumed their usual avocations, Jack and Bill—to whom had been assigned the duty of “freshening up” the trimmings of capstan, binnacle, and other extras aft, usually attended to in their watch below, to save time—entered upon their duty during the siesta hour of the day. While engaged they ruminated in silence until the deck was cleared of chance listeners, then the rapid change of tobacco quids from side to side of their mouths, and an unusual flow of the green ooze from the corners gave indication of thought’s supremacy. At length when they “supposed” the coast was clear, Jack gave an expressive tug at his waistband, then after blowing his nose with a clarion note, he sputtered, “Blast my buttons, Bill, if this fresh-water turtle of a captain hain’t sounded and found a salt-water leak in the water run of my eyes!” Bill without answering, except with a suppressed sniffle, found it necessary to expectorate and blow his nose over the bulwark nettings. A prolonged effort having relieved his emotions he shuffled back, and shyly exclaimed, with a whispering sob, “Don’t, Jack.”