"Very well, sir," said the steward with a grin. He turned to go, and Jordan stopped him.
"I suppose, Smith, that some of the grub is worse than the rest?" he asked.
"Lord bless you, sir, the men's grub is fair poison."
"Is it now?" said the skipper. "Do you know, Smith, I think we'll eat what the men do for the passage as far as Gibraltar. I'll speak to Mr. Thripp and Mr. Cade, and I daresay they won't mind just for a little while."
"I could put you and them somethin' better in your cabin, sir, if the other made you very sick," suggested Smith.
"So you could. To be sure you could," said Jordan. "That's a very good idea of yours, Smith. But fix up their berths. They will be aboard to-morrow mornin'."
He broke the news to the mates that the whole firm was coming on a little trip with them, and when he asked them if they had any objection to the fare that Smith proposed to give them for those few days they said they would be glad to see it on the table. They thought almost happily of the face that Gruddle
