"Well. The worst of it was with little Jane. Do you know what he tried to do to her?" "No, and I shore don't care," said the first mate testily. "Well, first he got her down under the table; and then he sat on her; and if I hadn't stopped him, he would have pounded her brains out against the deck." "My, my," said the bosun. "That hain't a-tall nice." "Grownups do it," Joey said. "That's entirely different," the bosun said. "No, it ain't. You just don't like me, that's all." "Little Jane wasn't ready," Martha said. "She hasn't had a chance to do her duty." "It don't matter," Joey said. "Little boy," said the bosun, "do you know where people go who talk that way?" "I don't care," Joey said. "You see? I'll simply have to leave him in here with you." "All right," the first mate agreed reluctantly. "Now, little boy," he said, "you hain't a-gonna bother me, hear? I'm very busy. You jest go over there and watch." "Yes," said the bosun. Martha said, "Well, I better get back to the other children." She left and the first mate turned back to his job. "What's he crying for?" Joey asked. "'Cause it hurts," the first mate explained. "You missed somethin' there in th' back," Joey said. "Why did you try to choke that little girl?" the mate asked. "'Cause I wanted to." "Well," the first mate said, "that's why I left that little patch o' skin." "Oh," said Joey. He stood up and walked around the bosun. "What're ya gonna do next?" he asked. "Be still," said the bosun. "I bet I know," Joey said. "I'll bet you're gonna take that little stick over there an' stick it in him." "That shore ... is right," the bosun said proudly. "Can I, huh?" "No," the first mate said. "Why not? All ya gotta do is...." He picked up the stick and lunged at the bosun. * * * * * The first mate tripped him and took the stick away from him. "Let him alone," the bosun said to Joey. "He's doin' jest fine." "Thankee," said the first mate. Martha came back. "Is he bothering you? We could put him in the ice with the new crew," she said. "Fine," the first mate said. "Oh, no," Joey said. "You gotta catch me first." He began to back away from Martha. She took a step toward him. He turned and started to run. "Thought so," she said. She had been holding one hand behind her. It contained a plastic ash-tray. She caught him squarely between the ears with it, and he went down. "Good heave, Martha!" the first mate said. She walked over to Joey, picked him up and started to the door. At the door she paused. "What did you say you wanted for supper, Fontelroy?" "Two aigs," he said. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville