Page:O'Higgins--Old Clinkers.djvu/303

 discuss such matters with a man in the ranks. He said, "Shut off your nozzles there, now. You're putting too much water on that deck"—and walked away without further remark.

"Shine" said, under his voice, to Cripps: "That'll hold him fer a while."

Cripps replied, with a convincing oath, "It's true, too."

A hole had been cut in the hatch below, and a denser smoke rose from it. There was nothing to do now but wait for the six-inch line to drown out the smolder; and Cripps and "Shine" waited, standing with their pipe.

"Watch that ladder," "Shine" whispered. "Doherty 'll be tryin' to make his sneak while its thick up here."

A moment later, he yelled suddenly: "Yah!" And dropping his pipe, he