l had set the table in the cabin;
for, as he had company, he decided to take the meal in state. He had
fried all the rest of the kid of potatoes, and two large slices of ham.
He made the coffee, and mixed up a pitcher of condensed milk.

"Sit down, Monkey," said Little Bobtail, as he wiped the perspiration
from his brow, for the cook-room was a hot place, even with the scuttle
open.

"Yes," replied Monkey, showing all the teeth in his head, for when the
mouths were given out he had been supplied with a very liberal share.

The host helped him to a big piece of ham and a great heap of fried
potatoes. The guest was not very elegant in his manners; but what he
lacked in refinement he made up in zeal. Fingers seemed to come handier
to him than a fork, or, rather, a "slit spoon," as he called it. He did
not often make two parts of a slice of potato, and his mouthfuls of ham
were big enough to bait a large cod. Fortunately there was enough to
fill him up.

"Somebody's looking for you, Bob, up in the village," said Monkey, when
he began to be gorged, which, however, was not till both the slices of
ham were nearly consumed.

"For me?" asked Little Bobtail.

"Squire Gilfilian asked me if I'd seen you; and I told him I hadn't. He
was askin' everybody for you. Some on 'em said you wan't to home; and
the old man said he hadn't seen you sence yesterday mornin'."

"Who wants me?"

"I don't know; but the squire wanted to see you powerful bad," grinned
Monkey.

"All right. I'll go up and see him by and by," said Bobtail, as he left
the table.

With the assistance of his new ally he washed the dishes, cleaned up the
stove and cooking utensils, and swept out the cabin. Everything was put
into the neatest condition. When this was done, the decks were washed
down, the sails stowed more trimly than the skipper could do it in the
dark, all the running rigging hauled taut, and the ends coiled away, so
that the yacht was in man-of-war style. He found a padlock, with a key
in it, to fasten the cabin door; and having put the tiller below, so
that no one could sail the Skylark in his absence, he secured the door,
and went on shore with Monkey. He stopped at the cottage to see if his
mother had returned from Rockport, but neither she nor Ezekiel was
there.

Walking towards the village, he wondered what Squire Gilfilian could
want of him. He began to be a little troubled about the letter again,
for, in the excitement of his cruise ov