She went for'ard to interview the cook, so she said. But she really went to interview Silas Bagge. When she came back she found Watchett and his wife on board. If she was a little stiff with Watchett he never noticed it. As a matter of fact, the whims and fads and tempers of a woman were of no more account than the growling of the men for'ard. He was too much engaged in cursing the weather to pay her any attention. "This licks me," he said; "in a week we ain't moved--we're stuck. 'Ow long will it last, Bill?" "It looks as if it might last for ever," replied Ryder. "We've struck a bad streak." The women had tea and the men drank whisky and water. Although Watchett didn't know it, two of his hands left the boat and were given something to eat in the galley by Mrs. Ryder's orders. It was Bagge who conveyed the invitation, with the connivance of the mate, for whom the word of the captain's wife was law. "'Ave some marmalade and butter?" said Bagge. "Does they feed you good in the _Battle-Axe_, Gribbs?" [Illustration: "'AVE SOME MARMALADE AND BUTTER?' SAID BAGGE."] "Hogwash," said Gribbs, with his mouth full. "Ain't it, Tidewell?" Tidewell, who was a youngster of a good middle-class family, who had gone to sea as an apprentice and run from his ship, agreed with many bitter words. "As I told you, we lives like fightin'-cocks 'ere," said Bagge. "When you're full in the back teeth, we'll 'ave your mates up. We likes to feed the pore and 'ungry, don't we, doctor?" The cook, to whom Bagge had confided something, said he did his best, his humble best. "The _Star's_ an 'appy ship," he added. "We know what your ship is." The other two men came up in their turn and were filled with tea and biscuit and butter and marmalade till they smiled. "This is like home," said Wat Crampe, who was from Newcastle. "It wass petter--much petter," said Evan Evans, "and ass for the captain's wife, she iss a lady, whatefer." That evening Ryder and his wife returned the call and were rowed to the _Battle-Axe_ by Bagge, Bob Condy, and two more of the men. Bagge and Condy went into the fo'c's'le. They lost no time in condemning the _Battle-Axe_ and in lauding their own ship. "This 'ere's a stinkin' 'ooker, mates," said Silas Bagge; "why, our fo'c's'le is a lady's droring-room compared with it. And as for the grub, ask them as come on board us this afternoon. What d'ye say, Gribbs?" "Toppin'," said Gribbs. "It's spiled my happetite 'ere." "It wass good," said the Welshman; "it wass good, whatefer." Bagge took Billy Gribbs aside on the deck and had a talk with him. "Oh, Lord!" said Gribbs. "Oh, what?" "Straight talk," replied Silas; "_she_ said so." "Do you mean it?" "Do I mean it?" replied Silas, with unutterable scorn. "In course I mean it. It will sarve them right as it sarves right." Gribbs held on to the rail and laughed till he ached. "It's the rummiest notion I ever 'eard tell on." "Not _so_ rummy!"