"Mr. Slack said he was very much obliged to you and that the whole blessed ship was topsy turvy." "Oh, he said that did he, anything more?" "Yes, sir." "Full steam ahead." "Mr. Macdonald said all his men had followed the advice he gave them, and you need not expect to see any of 'em for four and twenty hours." "Go on, any further news," said Captain Seagrave. "Please, sir, Mr. Macdonald said that if I kept to the craft, and looked out for you, he was sure you'd make it right with me when you came on board." "The devil he did. I'm very much obliged to Mac, but he was quite right, here's a dollar for you." The astonished lad gazed in awe at the skipper, the gift was so unexpected, so unusual, he could not understand it. As he walked aft he muttered--"I'm blest if he ain't topsy turvy, too." CHAPTER SIXTH _TAPPING_ When Captain Seagrave appeared on deck next morning the first person he encountered was the chief officer. Sam Slack looked decidedly seedy; there was an up-all-night and commenced-afresh-in-the-morning appearance about him. He lurched forward and saluted the skipper. "That was a fine tip, captain, a grand tip; I backed it, so did most of the men." "When I came aboard last night I found the cabin boy in charge. Do you consider that the proper way in which to leave a ship?" "The circumstances were exceptional; we made a night of it." "Where's Mac?" Sam Slack smiled as he replied-- "When I left him last night he was taking in sufficient Scotch to last him for a voyage; he'll turn up all right to-day, and we can do without him. I hope you had a good win." Captain Seagrave was in a good humour. The seventy pounds he had won was safely locked up in his chest. "I did all right, Sam. By Jove, young Redland can ride; it was a clinking race. I was in a deuce of a funk at one time, thought my money was gone, but he pulled through all right at the finish. I'll tell you what, Sam, we'll get in a few delicacies for the voyage. You'll go your share, I am sure." "Certainly, but I only had five pounds on, and won twenty." "A whole fiver! Where did it come from?" "The office. I bled them; got a bit on account. It was like drawing a back tooth, but I managed it." The skipper looked at him admiringly. He knew Sharp and Co. were not given to ostentatious displays of liberality. "You are cleverer than I thought you were. How did you manage it?" "Gave them your tip." "You told Sharp I was backing Topsy Turvy?" "I did. Moreover, I said you had persuaded Mac to follow your lead, and Sharp said if Mac thought it was worth a bit, he'd have a trifle on himself; and he did." "Then Sharp ought to send us a couple of cases of whisky aboard. I'll ask him about it," said the skipper. Later on in the day the chief engineer put in an appearance, and staggered into Captain Seagrave's cabin. "Oh, it's you, is it, Mac?"