n shouted his name in passing, and the merchant then handed Frank
a short piece of cane. These canes were the "tally sticks," their
different colors indicating the nature of the articles counted. At every
tenth entry the Parsee cried, "Tally," and Austin, reckoning the sticks
in his hand, and finding them correct, answered, "Tally."

Our hero soon found that these were not the _only_ sticks employed. A
rice sack burst suddenly, and all the coolies stopped their work to pick
it up to the last grain, it being thought far too sacred to be wasted.
They were not quite brisk enough about it, however, to please the worthy
merchant, who, seizing a stout bamboo, with a shrill yell of "Bree!
bree!" (hurry up) laid about him as if he were beating a carpet, till
the hold echoed again.

"You take 'tick too; give 'em whack-whack," cried he, offering Austin
another bamboo. "Dey no work proper widout 'tick; dat 'courage 'em."

"Hum!" thought Frank; "I don't think it would encourage _me_ much."

The remedy seemed to answer, however, for the coolies at once quickened
their movements, grinning as if the whole thing was a capital joke. But
it was not long before Frank had to exercise _his_ stick upon a fellow
whom he caught in the act of dropping a package overboard, to be fished
up and rifled later on--a common trick with the natives, who are most
expert thieves. What with all this, and what with the constant counting,
he found it very tiring work, and was not sorry when the gang "knocked
off," and he went to hand in his accounts to the Captain.

"Very good, my boy; you've done capitally for a first trial. After this
I'll rate you as supercargo, and give you a state-room on the officers'
deck."

This was promotion indeed, and our hero, tired as he was, "turned in"
with a light heart.

Next morning the work began again. Bags, boxes, chests, crowded so fast
upon each other that Frank and the Parsee were soon forced to shift to
one of the six huge barges that lay alongside, piled high with spices,
pepper, and bundles of rattan. Two native servants stood by to fan them,
while two others shielded them from the burning sun with huge umbrellas;
and this group, together with the long file of black or yellow skinned
figures below, pouring into the ship with their burdens like a stream of
ants, and still chanting their strange, monotonous song, made a very
curious picture.

About two o'clock (the sailors' dinner hour) the gang had a short r