e
vessel; so when we heard that, their doom was sealed. We mustered
ourselves on the deck, put the hatches over some o' the French, seized
those on deck, and--in half an hour, they all walked the plank.

* * * * *

"I do not understand what you mean," said Mustapha.

"That's 'cause you're a lubber of a landsman. The long and short of
walking a plank is just this. We passed a wide plank over the gunnel,
greasing it well at the outer end, led the Frenchmen up to it
blindfolded, and wished them 'bon voyage,' in their own lingo, just out
of politeness. They walked on till they toppled into the sea, and the
sharks didn't refuse them, though they prefer a nigger to anything
else."

"What does he say, Mustapha?" interrupted the pacha. Mustapha
interpreted.

"Good; I should like to have seen that," replied the pacha.

* * * * *

Well, as soon as we were rid of the Frenchmen, we made our port, and
soon had another cargo on board, and, after a good run, got safe to the
Havannah, where we sold our slaves; but I didn't much like the sarvice,
so I cut the schooner, and sailed home in summer, and got back safe to
England. There I fell in with Betsy, and as she proved a regular
out-and-outer, I spliced her; and a famous wedding we had of it, as long
as the rhino lasted; but that wasn't long, the more's the pity; so I
went to sea for more. When I came back after my trip, I found that Bet
hadn't behaved quite so well as she might have done, so I cut my stick,
and went away from her altogether.

* * * * *

"Why didn't you put her in a sack?" inquired the pacha, when Mustapha
explained.

"Put her head in a bag--no, she wasn't so ugly as all that," replied the
sailor. "Howsomever, to coil away."

* * * * *

I joined a privateer brig, and after three cruises I had plenty of
money, and determined to have another spell on shore, that I might get
rid of it. Then I picked up Sue, and spliced again; but, Lord bless your
heart, she turned out a regular-built Tartar--nothing but fight fight,
scratch scratch, all day long, till I wished her at old Scratch. I was
tired of her, and Sue had taken a fancy to another chap; so says she one
day, "As we both be of the same mind, why don't you sell me, and then we
may part in a respectable manner." I agrees, and I puts a halter round
her neck, and leads her to the marke