Page:While the Billy Boils, 1913.djvu/289

 kept it under a side-table, but it wasn't there, and before we were done looking, eleven o'clock went. We sat down round the fire, feeling pretty thirsty, and were just thinking about turning in when we heard a thump on the table behind us. We looked round, and there was that bag with two full bottles of English ale in it.'

'Then I remembered that I'd left a bob in the bottom of the bag, and'

The steward turned off the electric light.

There were some hundreds of cases of oranges stacked on deck, and made fast with matting and cordage to the bulwarks. That night was very dark, and next morning there was a row. The captain said he'd 'give any man three months that he caught at those oranges.'

'Wot are yer givin' us?' said a shearer. 'We don't know anything about yer bloomin' oranges.…I seen one of the saloon passengers moochin' round for'ard last night. You'd better search the saloon for your blasted oranges, an' don't come round tacklin' the wrong men.'

It was not necessary to search our quarters, for the 'off-side' steward was sweeping orange peel out of the steerage for three days thereafter.

And that night, just as we were about to fall asleep, a round, good-humoured face loomed over the edge of the shelf above and a small, twinkling, grey eye winked at us. Then a hand came over, gave a jerk, and something fell on our nose. It was an orange. We sent a 'thank you' up through the boards and commenced hurriedly and furtively to stow away the