Next day he inquired, "Do you know anything 'bout this yere Jesus as
they yarns about?"
"Devil a bit! Get the bloke on the Mission ship to tell you."
"See him and you damned fust!"
Thus spoke the impolite James. But on the ninth day the Mission smack
ran into the Blue fleet again, and Jim took a desperate resolution. His
boat was astern, so he jumped over the counter and sculled himself
straight to the Mission smack.
"Got them gents aboard?"
The skipper was wild with delight at seeing the most notorious ruffian
on the coast come voluntarily, and Mr. Billings was soon below in the
after cabin. Poor Jim stuttered and haggled while trying to explain what
was the matter with him.
"I tell you, guvnor, I've got a something that must come out, or I shall
choke straight off. I want to speak, and I can't get no words."
I shall say nothing of the long talk that went on. I know something
about it, but the subject is too sacred for a Loafer to touch. I shall
only say that Jim Billings got release, as the fishers say, and his
wild, infantine outburst made powerful men cry like children.
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