Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/505

 Waking and finding his companion and his money gone, while the score was left unpaid, Smoke-Jack remembered to have seen the captain stroke the neck of a bay mare held by a boy at the door of the tavern they entered, though he denied all knowledge of the animal. After this the sailor never expected to set eyes on his scientific friend again.

The mention of the bay mare proved beyond a doubt that the two shipmates owed a grudge to the same individual. They laid their heads together to pay it off accordingly, and called Alice, who was nowise unwilling, into council.

Her feminine aversion to violence dissuaded them from their first intention of avenging their grievances by the strong hand.

"It's far better that such boasters as the captain should be frightened than hurt," observed gentle Alice. "If I'd my way, he should be well scared once for all, like a naughty child, and then perhaps he'd never come here any more."

Smoke-Jack listened as if spell-bound to hear a woman speak so wisely; but her sweetheart objected—

"It's not so easy to frighten a man, Alice. I don't quite see my bearings how to set about it."

"He's not like you, dear," answered Alice, with a loving smile, and showing some insight into the nature of true courage. "It would be easy enough to scare him, for I've heard him say many a time he feared neither man nor devil, and if Satan himself was to come across him, he'd turn him round and catch him by the tail."

"I should like to see them grapple-to!" exclaimed both seamen simultaneously.

"Well," answered Alice, in her quiet voice, "old Robin skinned our black bullock only yesterday. Hide, and horns, and tail are all together in the corner of the cow-house now. I'm sure I quite shuddered when I went by. It's an ugly sight enough, and I'm very much mistaken if it wouldn't frighten a braver man than Captain Bold!"