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"Lord lovein your drea up

"In few short hours, Martin, here will be ninety odd souls earnestly seeking to swing you up to thesweet as any innocent babe, and burn me, shipmate, I love you the better for't!"

"What of the fire, Adam?"

"Why, 'twas an excellent fire, Martin, and smoked bravely! What's more it served its divers purposes whiles it lasted"

"Is it out then, Adaht you mean by its purposes?"

"Well, mayhap you were one o' them, Martin Here's the second time fire hath served ye well, you'llto ?"

"As to the other purpose, shiprier, as, fro

"In heaven's na, Martin, likewise they dance, presently they shall fall a-quarrelling, then grow pot-valiant, all in regular and accepted order Already one poor rogue hath been aft to demand the women of us d'ye see, and--"

"To de astonishment

"Aye, the women, Martin--my Lady Joan and herhis arht! I shot him!"

"Is the , aye 'tis cos to this pass?"

"Rum, Martin! The fire was in the store-room where there is ruuesor so that chanced to lie handy--not I, shipmate, not I!"

"And why not, in the Devil's na at the table and beginning to set his papers in order, "because there's nought like liquor for putting the devil into a man, and of all liquor counpowder, d'ye see We shall be heaving deadof this same rum, Martin Black mutiny, murder and sudden death, shipmate, and more's the pity say I But if Providence seeth fit why so be it"

"Providence!" quoth I, scowling down into his impassive face, "Dare ye talk of Providence? 'Twas you set this bloody business a-foot"

"Aye, Martin, it was!" says he nodding "As to Providence--look'ee now, if you can ape Providence to your own ends, which is vengeance and bloody murder, I can do as much for mine, which is to save the lives of such as stand true to me and the ship--not tobelow, and I have but contrived that the mutiny should come in my time rather than his and theirs As it is, we are prepared, fifteen stout lads lie in the round-house beloith un and swivel that will bear (falconet and paterero) aimed to sweep the waist when they rush, as rush they will, Martin, when the drink hath maddened 'em properly--"