Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/60

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52
CRUISE OF THE DRY DOCK

to work, and I'll do the same,” said the boy, returning to his bucket.

This appealed to the cockneys, who gave a dull English cheer, and then everybody settled back to their tasks once more.

“What's the use in your painting, Madden?” asked Caradoc, “You don't have to.”

Leonard was amused, “They tell me a chap whose work is no bigger than his contract, never gets a contract for bigger work.”

“What's that?” frowned Smith. “That sounds like Yankee smartness to me—seems to make a great deal more sense than it really does.”

“Anyway, I don't want to rat on you fellows, just because Malone left me in charge for a day or so.”

Caradoc made no answer, but stared after the rowboat which was just rounding into the tug. “If I'd played up to that officer a bit,” he smiled dourly, “I could have had the mate's berth, Madden.”

The American glanced up. The Englishman's smile recalled the look Leonard had seen under the bracket lamp.