Page:Morley roberts--Blue Peter--sea yarns.djvu/106

90 All the men 'ere 'as sworn to 'ave Brogger's life if 'e's alive. They say Brogger was mean, and made them un'appy. 'E called good sailormen sojers; 'e give 'em bad grub; 'e wouldn't 'ave no clothes dried in the galley off the 'Orn; 'e never gave 'em no forenoon watch in. In the dirtiest weather he 'ad 'em makin' sennit between shortenin' and makin' sail. 'E wasn't no sailor, they says, to add to it all. And it's a sayin' 'ere that Brogger saved 'is life by bein' killed, same as the pig did 'is by dyin'. For Gawd's sake don't say you're Brogger, or there'll be blood knee-deep—if there's blood in Brogger!"

"I'll—I'll go aft," said Brogger tremulously.

"Don't you do it!" said Eales. "There's a new skipper on board; 'e's as fierce and 'ard as if 'e was a bucko tough out of a Western Ocean packet of the old days. 'E won't stand taff, nor any sort of guff; but 'e'll jump on your stummick quick."

"Oh, what shall I do?" moaned Brogger. "Why, I know you! You're Eales!"

"And you're Juggins!" said Eales fiercely. And just then in came one of the port watch and banged a tin can.