Page:Hornung - Irralies Bushranger.djvu/152

 often and bitterly of her father since falling into the clutches of this wretch.

"Yes! Just imagine the skipper turning in with a dangerous pirate in irons in his deck-house! Nice thing to do, was it not?"

Irralie would not speak; that very thought had been her own.

"Well," proceeded the other, "you mustn't be too hard on the poor unfortunate skipper! He has bad teeth. He mentioned the matter to me. I asked to see the inside of his medicine-chest, and ever since he's been lying on his own store floor, full to the nose with chloral! I thought it a good thing done," he concluded, laughing; "but I only wish to heaven I could have got quit of that confounded pig-headed overseer as cheap!"

Still Irralie refused to speak; and now they were at the farther gate. This also had been left open; but it had swung to again; and as Stingaree leaned over to push it open, Irralie raised the pommel which she had unscrewed from her saddle, and struck