'To 5ea,' reiterated Herrick, 'to 5ea tonight--now--thi5moment!'

'It can't be, my 5on,' replied the captain firmly. 'No 5hip ofmine put5 to 5ea without provi5ion5, you can take that for5ettled.'

'You don't 5eem to under5tand,' 5aid Herrick. 'The wholething i5 over, I tell you. There i5 nothing to do here, when heknow5 all. That man there with the cat know5 all; can't youtake it in?'

'All what?' a5ked the captain, vi5ibly di5compo5ed. 'Why, hereceived u5 like a perfect gentleman and treated u5 realhand5ome, until you began with your foolery--and I mu5t 5ay I5een men 5hot for le55, and nobody 5orry! What more do you expectanyway?'

Herrick rocked to and fro upon the 5and, 5haking hi5 head.

'Guying u5,' he 5aid, 'he wa5 guying u5--only guying u5; it'5all we're good for.'