s soon as you can."

"Come down here on purpose," said the skipper shortly, "and here goes.
Now then, doctor, you are such a busy man, and you are so wrapped up in
your fads about natural history and that sort of thing, that anybody
artful could take you in and cheat you as easy as swallowing a
gooseberry."

"Well, you have a nice opinion of me, Captain Chubb!"

"I have, sir--a splendid opinion of you," cried the skipper, "and I'd
say it before all the judges in the land--I mean at home--that there was
never a more straightforward gentleman made than you. I'd do anything
for you."

"Hear, hear! Bravo, Captain Chubb!" cried Rodd. "What about me?"

"You, youngster? Well, you aren't half a bad 'un as boys go. But look
here, doctor; time's come for me to speak out. You are a bit too
innocent."

"Am I? Well, captain, that's better than being a bit too guilty; eh,
Rodd?"

"A deal, uncle. But what's the matter, captain?"

"Why, this here, my lad. I can't stand still no longer and see your
uncle being made a cat's-paw of."

"Cat's-paw, eh, captain?" said the doctor. "Let's see, that means to
fetch the roasted chestnuts out of the fire. This must apply to you,
Master Rodd."

"To me, uncle?" cried the boy, aghast.

"Yes; I don't know anybody else whom Captain Chubb looks upon as a
monkey."

"Nay-y-y! I mean that there French Count."

"Stop!" cried the doctor sternly. "Mind what you are saying, Captain
Chubb. Count Des Saix is my friend--a gentleman, a nobleman."

"I dessay he may be at home," said the skipper, meeting Rodd's indignant
eyes, "but he aren't a gentleman, or he wouldn't be making such a tool
of you. Now, don't you put yourself in a fury, doctor, or you'll be
saying words you'll be sorry for arter. A gentleman like you as thinks,
and is scientific too, has no business to go in a passion. That's all
very well for a skipper as has got to manage a lot of awkward sailor
chaps; if he didn't use words sometimes there'd be no getting a ship
along. But you have got to take it cool like a Ann Eliza, and hear it
right through, and then set yourself down and judge according."

"But look here, Captain Chubb," said the doctor angrily, "I cannot be
silent and let you malign my friend."

"He aren't your friend, sir; he's only a Frenchman, and though I've done
my duty by him right through, I allers felt as if I couldn't trust him."

"Why not?" said the doctor hotly.

"Because he being a natur