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Go ahead," said Billy Byrne; "I don't trust nobody wen I don't have to; but I'll be

dinged if I see any other way out of it."

Theriere returned to the deck and seeking out the skipper drew him to one side.

I can get him up peaceably if I can assure him that he'll only get a day or so in

the cooler, with full rations and no beatings. I think, sir, that that will be the

easiest way out of it. We cannot spare a man now--if we want to get the fellow

later we can always find some pretext."

"Very well, Mr. Theriere," replied the skipper, "I'll leave the matter entirely in your

hands--you can do what you want with the fellow; it's you as had your face

punched."

Theriere returned immediately to the forecastle, from which he presently emerged

with the erstwhile recalcitrant Byrne, and for two days the latter languished in

durance vile, and that was the end of the episode, though its effects were

manifold. For one thing it implanted in the heart of Theriere a personal hatred for

the mucker, so that while heretofore his intention of ridding himself of the man

when he no longer needed him was due purely to a matter of policy, it was now

reinforced by a keen desire for personal revenge. The occurrence had also had its

influence upon Barbara Harding, in that it had shown her Mr. Theriere in a new

light--one that reflected credit upon him. She had thought his magnanimous

treatment of the sailor little short of heroic; and it had deepened the girl's horror

of Billy Byrne until it now amounted to little short of an obsession. So vivid an

impression had his brutality made upon her that she would start from deep

slumber, dreaming that she was menaced by him.

After Billy was released for duty following his imprisonment, he several times

passed the girl upon deck. He noticed that she shrank from him in disgust and

terror; but what surprised him was that instead of the thrill of pride which he

formerly would have felt at this acknowledgment of his toughness, for Billy prided

himself on being a tough, he now felt a singular resentment against the girl for

her attitude, so that he came to hate her even more than he had before hated.

Formerly he had hated her for the things she stood for, now he hated her for

herself.

Theriere was often with her now, and, less frequently, Divine; for at the second

officer's suggestion Barbara had not acquainted that gentleman with the fact that

she was aware of his duplicity.

"It is just as well not to let him know," said Theriere. "It gives you an advantage

that would be wanting should he suspect the truth, so that now you are always in

a position to be warned in plenty of time against any ulterior suggestion he may

The Mucker