"I don't own 'em, missus; but, from
what I can hear, they're restin' and recoverin' their strength."
"I've brought you the stakes from our side," says Sally, and down she
slaps a five-pound note and a sovereign upon the table.
"Take 'em up, missus--take 'em up. I don't feel equal to the
responsibility. This here's a public challenge, hey?"
"The publicker the better."
"Then we'll go to the Mayor about it and ask his Worship to hold the
stakes." Oke was chuckling to himself all this while, the reason
being that he'd managed to bespeak the loan of a six-oared galley
belonging to the Water-Guard, and, boat for boat, he made no doubt
she could show her heels to the _Indefatigable Woman_. He unlocked
his strong-box, took out and pocketed a bag of money, and reached his
hat off its peg. "I suppose 'twouldn't do to offer you my arm?" says
he.
"Folks would talk, Mr. Oke--thanking you all the same."
So out they went, and down the street side by side, and knocked at
the Mayor's door. The Mayor was taking a nap in his back-parlour
with a handkerchief over his face. He had left business soon
after burying his wife, who had kept him hard at work at the
cheese-mongering, and now he could sleep when he chose.
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