king skipper. "Are you
the captain of that brig?"

"No, sir. What vessel's this?"

"Because," said the skipper, ignoring the question, "you'd better tell
your captain to be careful. He might have done us some mischief. Any
one would think you took me for a pirate."

The lieutenant made no reply for a minute or two, being, like his two
young companions, eagerly scanning the rather slovenly deck and the
faces of the small crew, who were looking at their invaders apparently
with wonder.

"Never mind what we took you for," said the lieutenant sharply, and in a
tone of voice which to Murray suggested doubt. "Answer me at once.
What schooner's this?"

"Don't be waxy, sir," said the skipper, smiling good-humouredly.
"That's reg'lar English fashion--knock a fellow over, and then say,
Where are you shoving to! What's yours?"

"H.M.S. _Seafowl_," said the lieutenant haughtily. "Now then, will you
answer?"

"Of course I will, Mr Lieutenant. This here is the schooner _Laura
Lee_, of Bristol. Trading in sundries, machinery and oddments, loaded
out at Kingston, Jamaica, and now for the West Coast to take in palm
oil. Afterwards homeward bound. How does that suit you?"

Roberts and Murray exchanged glances, and then noted that the men were
doing the same.

"Your papers, sir," said the lieutenant.

"Papers?" said the skipper. "All right, sir; but you might put it a
little more civil."

"I am doing my duty, sir," said the lieutenant sternly.

"All right, sir, all right; but don't snap a man's head off. You shall
see my papers. They're all square. Like to take anything? I've got a
fine bottle or two of real Jamaica below."

"No, sir; no, sir," said the lieutenant sternly. "Business if you
please."

"Of course, sir. Come along to my cabin."

"Lead on, then."

The skipper took a few steps aft, and Roberts followed his officer, a
couple of the sailors closing in behind, while two others with Murray
kept the deck in naval fashion, though there seemed to be not the
slightest need, for the schooner's men hung about staring hard or leaned
over the side looking at the men in the cutter.

"Here, I say," said the skipper sharply, "I should have thought you
could have seen plain enough that what I said was quite right. What do
you take me for? Oh, I see, I see; your skipper's got it in his head
that I'm trading in bad spirits with the friendly niggers on the coast
yonder; but I ain't. There, I s'pose, th