m aboard that
there three-masted schooner. Them there mongrel chaps, they must save a
wonderful lot of money every year in soap."

"There," said Rodd, wiping his eyes again, "I am all right now; but it's
very comic. The more you feel you mustn't laugh, the worse you are. I
suppose laughing must do one good. I always feel so much better after
having a good grin."

"Do you good, Mr Rodd, sir! I should just think it does! Why, it's
natur'. Does you good to have a long talk sometimes, don't it; eh, Mr
Morny, sir?"

"Oh yes, I suppose so," replied the lad.

"And you know it does you a lot of good to get your teeth to work when
you are hungry, Mr Rodd."

"Yes, Joe," cried the lad eagerly. "What's for breakfast?"

"Ah, you wait a bit, sir, and you will see. But as I was saying about
laughing, what's your smiling tackle for, and your grinning kit for, if
they aren't to use and set you right when otherwise you would be all in
the dumps? Yes, sir; give me a good laugh. But one don't always get
one's share along with our old man. Still we like him, for he always
means right by us. Ay, there's worse chaps in the world than old Chubb,
and I'm just ready and waiting to drink his health and long life to him
in a pannikin of the finest coffee a coxswain ever brewed; and as for
the frizzled ham that cookie's got thriddled on sticks over them embers
to eat with the dough-cakes he's baking in the ashes--Here, let's get
back, for fear there's an accident."

"Accident?" said Morny. "Why, what accident could happen?"

"Out of sight, sir, out of mind; and that aren't a French proverb, but
you might like to turn it into one as your countrymen could use. They
might forget, sir, as we are here."

Well rested, in high spirits, and with a good breakfast waiting, the
morning meal was eaten with the greatest of gusto, while to every one
the expedition wore more and more the appearance of a delightful
holiday.

There was an exception, though, and that was in the person of the
Spanish captain, who looked grim and sombre, and ate little, but smoked
a great deal.

Just as the tent was being struck and a clearance being made of the
remains of the breakfast, Rodd suddenly called out--

"There they are again!" And he called attention to the two nearly nude
blacks, who were creeping along the edge of the bank opposite to them in
their canoe.

"Why, they are watching us," said Uncle Paul.

"Hungry," said the Spanish skipper