m ebber since he was lilly pickaninny, an' I lub
him," he said, speaking with a feeling and earnestness which no one
would have thought of his possessing, and uttering the words in a thick
choked voice. "I took de boat 'cause de boat was dere; but if dere was
no boat, I'd hab swam off to de ship, for I'se boun' to go were Mass'
Tom go, an' if he go in ship I'se go too!"

"But, my poor fellow," put in Captain Miles kindly to him, "your young
master does not want a servant to wait on him on board the _Josephine_,
and we haven't room for any idlers. I shall have to put you ashore at
Saint Vincent, from whence you'll be easily able to get a passage back
home again."

"For de Lor' sake don't do dat, Massa Cap'en!" implored Jake, utterly
overwhelmed at such an unexpected downfall of his hopes, falling on his
knees on the deck and holding up his hands in the most supplicating
manner. "Only let dis poah nigger go wid you an' Mass' Tom an' he do
any ting you want."

"But, what can you do?" said Captain Miles, who, I could see, was
relenting. He really had no idea of carrying out the stern intention
which his words implied. "We've got no horses to groom here."

"Ah, you dunno all I can do, Massa Cap'en," replied the darkey eagerly,
rising again to his feet now, all animation. "'Fore I go wid Mass'
Eastman, I'se help my fadder in fishin'-boat, an' know how to make sail
an' reef an' steer. You jus' try dis chile an' see!"

"Very good, we will try you," said Captain Miles good-humouredly. "But,
mind, my darkey friend, you'll have to work for your passage!"

"All right, Massa Cap'en, me work safe 'nuff. See now, I'se handy boy
aboard ship!" So saying, Jake at once scrambled up the rigging and in a
minute or two was away up in the foretop, waving his arms about and
shouting with laughter in great glee.

"Yah, yah!" he cried. "I'se go higher, if um like."

"No, that will do now," sang out Captain Miles, "you can come down and
go and warm yourself, after your wetting, by the galley fire, where
you'll find another darkey to keep you company. You must enter his name
in the list of the crew, Mr Marline," added the captain, turning to the
first mate; "and see, too, about messing him in the fo'c's'le. I
daresay we'll make something out of him during the voyage."

During this little interlude, the _Josephine_ had been making away from
Grenada with the land breeze, aided by a current setting to the westward
at the rate o