ings as that; eh, Roberts?"

"Oh, stuff!" cried the middy. "Nonsense!"

"You might tell him what you think, though," said Murray. "You know how
fond you are of making experiments."

"Do talk sense," cried the lad petulantly. "Look here, May, I think it
would be a great waste of useful stores to do such a thing."

"Yes, sir; so do I," said the man; "and that's talking sense, and no
mistake. Beg pardon, gentlemen, but what do you think of the skipper's
ideas?"

"What about?" asked Murray sharply. "We don't canvass what our officers
plan to do."

"Don't know about canvassing them, sir," said the man, "but I meant no
harm, only we've been talking it over a deal in the forc'sle, and we
should like to know whether the captain means to give up trying after
the slave skipper."

"No, certainly not."

"That's right, sir," said the man eagerly. "Glad on it. But it's got
about that we was sailing away from the coast here, which is such a
likely spot for dropping upon him."

"Well, I don't mind answering you about that, Tom. Mind, I don't want
my name to be given as an authority, but I believe that Captain
Kingsberry means to cross to the western shores and search every likely
port for that schooner, and what is more, to search until he finds where
she is."

"Hah!" ejaculated the sailor. "If the skipper has said that, sir, he
has spoken out like a man. Hooroar! We shall do it, then, at last.
But I dunno, though, sir," added the man thoughtfully.

"Don't know what?" asked Murray.

"Oh, nothing, sir."

"Bother! Don't talk like that," cried Murray. "Nothing is more
aggravating than beginning to say something and then chopping it off in
that way. Speak out and say what you mean."

"'Tain't no good, sir," said the man sulkily.

"No good?"

"No, sir. Why, if I was to say what I'd got inside my head you'd either
begin to bullyrag me--"

"Nonsense, May! I'm sure I never do."

"Well, then, sir, call me a hidjit, and say it was all sooperstition."

"Well, that's likely enough," said Murray. "You sailors are full of old
women's tales."

"Mebbe, sir," said the man, shaking his head slowly; "but old women is
old, and the elders do grow wise."

"Sometimes, Tom," said Murray, laughing, "and a wise old woman is worth
listening to; but you can't say that for a man who talks like a foolish
old woman and believes in all kinds of superstitious nonsense."

"No, sir: of course not, sir," said the man solemnl