s perfectly astounded to find him now amongst the Tristaners.
How came he there? What could possibly have become of the _Pilot's
Bride_ and Captain Brown?

These were the anxious thoughts that at once flashed through the mind of
the young German, and his brother shared his anxiety to an equal extent.

Nat Slater however did not keep them long in suspense.

"I guess," he said--as soon as they reached the beach and accosted the
islanders, who received them very coldly they could perceive, as if
looking upon them now as rivals in the same pursuit--"me and the old man
couldn't drive the same team long. We had a muss together, soon as you
parted company, an' I asked him to put me ashore at Tristan, thinking to
ship in another whaling craft; but, I'm blest if ary a one's called thar
since the _Pilot's Bride_ sailed, so I've ben forced to chum in with
these islanders!"

"Did you get on a spree, or what, to make Captain Brown leave you
behind?" asked Fritz, judging by what the skipper had told him of Mr
Nathaniel Slater's character that the real facts of the case might put
quite another complexion on his plausible statement, that the skipper
had quarrelled with him.

"Waall, I reckon, I did go on a bit of a bender aboard," said the whilom
deck hand in a drawling way. "I managed to stow away a couple o'
bottles of Bourbon whisky I got to Providence after I left hum, an' I
thought I would have a licker-up arter we parted with you an' your
brother, mister, I felt so kinder lonesome."

"And I suppose you got so drunk that Captain Brown kicked you out of the
ship?" exclaimed the young German indignantly. "Why, you knew his
particular orders about never allowing any spirituous liquors on board
his vessel when at sea!"

"I guess he wern't boss of everybody," said the American coolly. "An'
so I told him, too! But, say, mister, I've a kinder hankering to jine
you and your brother haar; will you let a poor coon chum in?"

"No, I confess I would rather not," was the instant reply that came from
Fritz--a decision which, from his quick look of satisfaction, Eric most
cordially shared in. "We did not appear to get on together very well
before, and I certainly do not care to associate with any one who does
not keep his word!"

"I guess this here island don't belong to you, mister?" said Nat Slater
sneeringly, on purpose apparently to make Fritz angry; but the young
German remained perfectly cool and collected.

"I never sai