oins.

"Hallo, Dick," said one of his messmates, Bill Black, as soon as he
climbed on board. "Where did you find your little brother?"

"'Tain't no brother o' mine," said Dick seriously; "he's a Black, and
his name's Joseph, ain't it Joey?"

The monkey wrinkled its forehead, and its restless eyes ran over one
after the other of the group as the sailors gathered round, who now
began laughing.

"Well, he's a handsome chap at all events," said Bill, putting out his
hand to pat the monkey on the head.

"Don't touch him, lad," growled Dick, by way of caution; "he bites."

"Get out," said Bill. "Now then, old man, how are you?"

"Chick--chack--squitter--witter--chack," cried the monkey, snapping at
the sailor's hand and giving it a sharp nip.

"There, I told you so," said Dick.

"Hallo, what have you got there, Dick?" said Bob Roberts, coming up,
attracted by the laughing.

"Native gentleman, sir, I bought for four dollars," said Dick,
seriously. "He's a rar-jah I think, only he hadn't time to get his
toggery and his kris afore he come aboard."

"Didn't know the native gentlemen had tails," said Bob, smiling.
"Hallo, old chap, how are you? Have a bite?"

He held out half a biscuit that he happened to have in his jacket
pocket, and the monkey looked at him curiously, as it held out one long
thin black hand, flinchingly, as if expecting to be teased.

Twice it essayed to get the biscuit, but always flinched, till Bob took
a step more in advance, when the animal snatched the coveted morsel and
began to eat it ravenously.

"Why, it's half-starved, Dick," said the middy.

"Yes, sir, he tried to get a piece of Bill Black's finger, but Bill cut
up rough, and wouldn't let him have it."

Here there was a fresh burst of laughter, in which Bill, whose finger
was, after all, only pinched, heartily joined.

"What are you going to do with him, Dick?" said Bob Roberts.

"Well, sir," said Dick, with a dry wrinkle or two extra on his mahogany
physiognomy, "I was going to ask the skipper if he'd like to have the
gent for a new middy, seeing as you, sir, have got to be quite a grown
man now."

"Don't you be cheeky, Dick," said Bob, indignantly.

"No, sir, I won't," said the old sailor humbly; "but on second thoughts,
which is allers the best, Mr Roberts, sir, I thought as the skipper
wouldn't have a uniform as would fit him, so I said as I'd take him on
to the island, where they'd soon make a sojer of him."

"Now