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and stayed with Nep。 all had been well。 But the poor urchin inadvertently came up again； and without the lantern。 One of the gig's crew grabbed him by the hair； and prolonged his existence by an inconsiderate impulse。
〃Where is the other lantern？〃 was Robarts' first word on reaching the deck： as if he didn't know。
〃Gone overboard； sir； with the boy Murphy。〃
〃Stand forward； you； sir；〃 growled Robarts。
Murphy stood forward； dripping and shivering with cold and fear。
〃What d'ye mean by going overboard with the ship's lantern？〃
〃Och； your arnr； sure some unasy divil drooped the port； and the lantern and me we had no foothold at all at all； and the lantern went into the say； bad luck to ut； and I went afther to try and save utfor your arnr。〃
〃Belay all that！〃 said Robarts； 〃do you think you can blarney me； you young monkey？ Here； Bosen's mate； take a rope's…end and start him！Again！Warm him well！That's right。〃
As soon as the poor child's shrieks subsided into sobs； the disciplinarian gave him Explanation for Ointment： 〃I can't have the Company's stores expended this way。〃
The force of discipline could no farther go than to flog zeal for falling overboard： so； to avoid anticlimax in that port； Robarts weighed anchor at daybreak； and there was a southwesterly breeze waiting for this favourite of fortune； and carried him past the Azores。 Off Ushant it was westerly； and veered to the nor'…west just before they sighted the Land's End： never was such a charming passage from the Cape。 The sailor who had the luck to sight Old England first nailed his starboard shoe to the mainmast for contributions； and all hearts beat joyfullynone more than David Dodd's。 His eye devoured the beloved shore： he hugged the treasure his own ill luck had jeopardisedbut Robarts had sailed it safe into British watersand forgave the man his ill manners for his good luck。
Robarts steered in for the Lizard； but； when abreast the Point； kept well out again； and opened the Channel and looked out for a pilot
One was soon seen working out towards him； and the _Agra_ brought to。 The pilot descended from his lugger into his little boat； rowed alongside； and came on deck； a rough； tanned sailor； clad in flushing； and in build and manner might have passed for Robarts' twin brother。
〃Now then； you； sir； what will you take this ship up to the Downs for？〃
〃Thirty pounds。〃
Roberts told him roughly he would not get thirty pounds out of' _him。_
〃Thyse and no higher； my Bo；〃 answered the pilot sturdily： he had been splicing the main brace； and would have answered an admiral。
Robarts swore at him lustily： Pilot discharged a volley in return with admirable promptitude。 Robarts retorted； the other rough customer rejoined； and soon all Billingsgate thundered on the _Agra's_ quarter…deck。 Finding； to his infinite disgust； his visitor as great a blackguard as himself； and not to be outsworn； Robarts ordered him to quit the ship on pain of being man…handled over the side。
〃Oh； that's it； is it？〃 growled the other： 〃here's fill and be off then。〃 He prudently bottled the rest of his rage till he got safe into his boat； then shook his fist at the _Agra_； and cursed her captain sky…high。 〃You see the fair wind； but you don't see the Channel fret a…coming； ye greedy gander。 Downs！ You'll never see them： you have saved your money； and lost your ship； ye lubber。〃
Robarts hurled back a sugar…plum or two of the same and then ordered Bayliss to clap on all sail； and keep a mid…channel course through the night。
At four bells in the middle watch； Sharpe； in charge of the ship； tapped at Robarts' door。 〃Blowing hard； sir； and the weather getting thickish。〃
〃Wind fair still？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Then call me if it blows any harder；〃 grunted Robarts。
In two hours more； tap； tap； came Bayliss； in charge。 〃If we don't take sail in； they'll take themselves out。〃
〃Furl to…gallen'sels； and call me if it gets any worse。〃
In another hour Bayliss was at him again。 〃Blowing a gale； sir； and a Channel fog on。〃
〃Reef taupsles； and call me if it gets any worse。〃
At daybreak Dodd was on deck； and found the ship flying through a fog so thick that her forecastle was quite invisible from the poop； and even her foremast loomed indistinct and looked distant。 〃You'll be foul of something or other； Sharpe；〃 said he。
〃What is that to you？〃 inquired a loud rough voice behind him。 〃I don't allow passengers to handle my ship。〃
〃Then do pray handle her yourself； captain！ Is this weather to go tearing happy…go…lucky up the Channel？〃
〃I mean to sail her without your advice； sir； and； being a seaman； I shall get all I can out of a fair wind。〃
〃That is right Captain Robarts； if you had but the British Channel all to yourself。〃
〃Perhaps you will leave me my deck all to myself。〃
〃I should be delighted： but my anxiety will not let me。〃 With this Dodd retired a few steps； and kept a keen look…out。
At noon a lusty voice cried 〃Land on the weather beam！〃
All eyes were turned that way and saw nothing。
Land in sight was reported to Captain Robarts。
Now that worthy was in reality getting secretly anxious： so he ran on deck crying； 〃Who saw it？〃
〃Captain Dodd； sir。〃
〃Ugh！ Nobody else？〃
Dodd came forward； and； with a respectful air； told him that； being on the look…out； he had seen the coast of the Isle of Wight in a momentary lift of the haze。
〃Isle of Fiddlestick！〃 was the polite reply； 〃Isle of Wight is eighty miles astern by now。〃
Dodd answered firmly that he was well acquainted with every outline in the Channel； and that the land he had seen was St。 Katherine's Point
Robarts deigned no reply； but had the log heaved： it showed the vessel to be running twelve knots an hour。 He then went to his cabin and consulted his chart； and； having worked his problem； came hastily on deck； and went from rashness to wonderful caution。 〃Turn the hands out； and heave the ship to！〃
The manoeuvre was executed gradually and ably； and scarce a bucketful of water shipped。 〃Furl taupsles and set the main trysail！ There； Mr。 Dodd； so much for you and your Isle of Wight。 The land you saw was Dungeness； and _you_ would have run on into the North Sea； I'll be bound。〃
When a man； habitually calm； turns anxious； he becomes more irritable； and the mixture of timidity and rashness he saw in Robarts made Dodd very anxious。
He replied angrily； 〃At all events； I should not make a foul wind out of a fair one by heaving to； and if I did； I would heave to on the right tack。〃
At this sudden facerone； too； from a patient manRobarts staggered a moment。 He recovered； and with an oath ordered Dodd to go below； or he would have him chucked into the hold。
〃Come； don't be an ass； Robarts；〃 said Dodd contemptuously。
Then； lowering his voice to a whisper； 〃Don't you know the men only want such an order as that to chuck you into the sea？〃
Robarts trembled。 〃Oh； if you mean to head a mutiny〃
〃Heaven forbid； sir！ But I won't leave the deck in dirty weather like this till the captain knows where he is。〃
Towards sunset it got clearer； and they drifted past a revenue cutter； who was lying to with her head to the northward。 She hoisted no end of signals； but they understood none of them； and her captain gesticulated wildly on her deck。
〃What is that Fantoccio dancing at？〃 inquired Captain Robarts brutally。
〃To see a first…class ship drift to leeward in a narrow sea with a fair wind；〃 said Dodd bitterly。
At night it blew hard； and the sea ran high and irregular。 The ship began to be uneasy； and Robarts very properly ordered the top…gallant and royal yards to be sent down on deck。 Dodd would have had them down twelve hours ago。 The mate gave the order： no one moved。 The mate went forward angry。 He came back pale。 The men refused to go aloft： they would not risk their lives for Captain Robarts。
The officers all assembled and went forward： they promised and threatened； but all in vain。 The crew stood sullen together； as if to back one another； and put forward a spokesman to say that 〃there was not one of them the captain hadn't started； and stopped his grog a dozen times： he had made the ship hell to them； and now her masts and yards and hull might go there along with her skipper； for them。〃
Robarts received this tidings in sullen silence。 〃Don't tell that Dodd； whatever you do；〃 said he。 〃They will come round now they have had their growl： they are too near home to shy away their pay。〃
Robarts had not sufficient insight into character to know that Dodd would instantly have sided with him against a mutiny。
But at this juncture the ex…captain of the _Agra_ was down in the cabin with his fellow…passengers； preparing a general remonstrance： he had a chart before him； and a pair of compasses in his hand。
〃St。 Katherine's Point lay about eight miles to windward at noon； and we have been drifting south and east this twelve hours； through lying to on the starboard tack； and besides； the ship has been conned as slovenly as she is sailed。 I've seen her allowed to break off a dozen times； and gather more leeway。 Ah！ here is Captain Robarts。 Captain； you saw the rate we passed the revenue cutter。 That vessel was nearly stationary； so what we