ss not, stranger," he retorted, pulling himself together as it
were with a jerk. "I was simply p'inting out that our accommodation for
passengers is kinder limited; and I'm puzzled to know where I can stow
you all away. The inconvenience 'll be yourn, stranger, not mine.
There's reasons, you see, why I should keep possession of my own cabin;
and there's reasons, too, why the mate should keep possession of his'n.
I reckon the best plan 'll be to clear away a place for you down in the
after-hold, where you must try and make yourselves as comfortable as you
can for the few days you'll be on board. And as for you ladies, I'd
sorter advise you to stay below all you can. If you _must_ go on deck
at all let it be at night-time, when there ain't so much chance of your
bein' seen."

"Where are you bound, captain?" inquired the skipper.

"Waal, we are bound now to an island which, as it's not shown on the
chart, I've christened `Albatross Island,' arter the brig. We're goin'
there to refit," was the reply.

"Then I presume you have established a sort of depot there?"
interrogated Captain Staunton.

"That's just it; you've hit it exactly, stranger," answered the Yankee.

"And how long will it take you to refit?" was the next question.

"Maybe a week; maybe a month. It just depends upon whether the hands
are in a working humour or no."

Captain Staunton raised his eyebrows somewhat at this singular answer.
After a moment or two of silence he said--

"I presume you would find no difficulty in running us across to--say--
Valparaiso, if you were well paid for the service?"

"Cash down?"

Captain Staunton was about to say "Yes," having saved from the burning
ship a bag of specie sufficient in amount to convey the entire party
home in perfect comfort; but an idea struck him that it would perhaps be
better to promise payment _after_ rather than before the performance of
the service, so he said--

"Well, no, I could not promise that. But I would draw on my owners for
the amount of our passage-money, and pay you immediately on our arrival
at Valparaiso."

"Waal, I guess I'll have to think it over," remarked Johnson. "I must
go on deck now, but you kin remain here as long as you like; in fact I
reckon you'd better stay here altogether until I can get a place
arranged for you below." Saying which, he abruptly rose from the table
and went on deck.

"Rather an unique specimen of the genus _Yankee_," observed Rex, as so