"I say so," replied the skipper. "I can't afford, Brose, as you know, to lose this job. And old Tyser promised me a kind of marine superintendent's billet when I left the _Patriarch_, and I dessay this young chap will act decent about it." "I'm fair knocked," replied Ware. "I'm jolly glad that he ain't in my watch. This is hard lines on you, Brose." "If you please, Mr. Potts, will you be so good has to be so kind has to be so hobliging as to go and over'aul the gear on the main," piped Brose, in furious mockery, "Oh, this is 'ard!" "Far from it," said old Smith; "you ought to be proud. It ain't every second mate has a millionaire owner in his watch." But Brose was sullen. "You mark me, this josser won't do no 'and's turn that 'e don't like." And for'ard the crowd said the same. As a result, for at least ten days Geordie Potts worked very well indeed. But, of course, Brose, under the skipper's orders, gave him all the soft jobs that were going. The second mate got into a mode of exaggerated courtesy which was almost painful. "Be so good, Mr. Potts, as to put a nice, neat Matthew Walker on this 'ere lanyard." Or-- "Mr. Potts, please be kind enough to go aloft and stop that spilling line to the jack-stay." And at meal times the port watch mimicked Brose. "Dear Mr. Potts, howner, be so good as to heat this 'orrid 'ash without growling." And presently, when the weather began to get cold and the men brought out their Cape Horn pea-jackets and their mitts, Geordie commenced to growl a little. [Illustration: "'IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WORK, MR. POTTS, I DARESAY WE CAN GET ON WITHOUT YOUR SERVICES,' HE SAID."] "I hates turnin' out in the gravy-eye watch worse and worse," he said. "I've half a mind to let on I'm sick." "You'd better go haft and tell the old man to 'ave the galley fire kep' alight all night," said the crowd, crossly. "But you dasn't." "I dast," said Geordie; "why, I owns the bally galley!" "You dasn't!" "I will," said Geordie. And next morning he went aft and touched his cap to the skipper and begged to be allowed to speak to him. "The galley fire at night?" said Smith. "Oh, certainly, Mr. Potts. I never done it because it was against the horders of your late revered huncle, sir." "He was as mean as mean," said Geordie; "I think I can afford the fire, sir." The fire was lighted and the crowd said Geordie was the right sort. "And wot about the gear, Mr. Howner?" asked Jack Braby. "If I was you, before it gets too rotten cold I'd 'ave a real over'aulin' of things." "I'll think of it," said Geordie. And that very afternoon he tackled Brose. "The gear's tolerable rotten, sir," he began. And the second greaser knew he was right and yet didn't like to say so. He yearned to curse him. "And I'm thinkin'," said Geordie, "it would be a good thing to get up new stuff and overhaul everything. I risks my life every time I goes aloft. The very reef earings would part if a schoolgirl yanked at 'em."