messmate, your Honour, seeing that he is a nigger," interrupted Fid.
"The chap messes with the other blacks, but we take a pull at the can, now
and then, in company."

"Your friend, then, if you prefer that term."

"Ay, ay, sir; we are friendly enough at odd times, though a breeze often
springs up between us. Guinea has a d--d awkward fashion of luffing up in
his talk; and your Honour knows it isn't always comfortable to a white man
to be driven to leeward by a black. I tell him it is inconvenient. He is a
good enough fellow in the main, howsomever, sir; and, as he is just an
African bred and born, I hope you'll be good enough to overlook his little
failings."

"Were I otherwise disposed," returned the Rover, "his steadiness and
activity to-day would plead in his favour."

"Yes, yes, sir, he is somewhat steady, which is more than I can always
say in my own behalf. Then as for seamanship, there are few men who are
his betters; I wish your Honour would take the trouble to walk forward,
and look at the heart he turned in the mainstay, no later than the last
calm; it takes the strain as easy as a small sin sits upon a rich man's
conscience."

"I am satisfied with your description; you call him Guinea?"

"Call him by any thing along that coast; for he is noway particular,
seeing he was never christened, and knows nothing at all of the bearings
and distances of religion. His lawful name is S'ip, or Shipio Africa,
taken, as I suppose, from the circumstance that he was first shipp'd from
that quarter of the world. But, as respects names, the fellow is as meek
as a lamb; you may call him any thing, provided you don't call him too
late to his grog."

All this time, the African stood, rolling his large dark eyes in every
direction except towards the speakers, perfectly content that his
long-tried shipmate should serve as his interpreter. The spirit which had,
so recently, been awakened in the Rover seemed already to be subsiding;
for the haughty frown, which had gathered on his brow, was dissipating in
a look which bore rather the character of curiosity than any fiercer
emotion.

"You have sailed long in company, my lads," he carelessly continued,
addressing his words to neither of them in particular.

"Full and by, in many a gale, and many a calm, your Honour. 'Tis
four-and-twenty years the last equinox, Guinea, since master Harry fell
across our hawse; and, then, we had been together three years n the
'Thunderer,' be