is musings were interrupted by the American, who lay back
sending forth great puffs of smoke without a quiver visible in his face.

"Looks nasty, don't it, Mr Officer?" said the man, in his long, slow
drawl. "But don't you be skeart; they won't fire without I give the
order or they see me hurt. Then I won't answer for them. 'Tain't
because they're so fond of me, youngsters," he continued, with an ugly
cat-like grin, "because they ain't; but they're afraid, and that's a
good deal better for me. And look here, they're lying back there in the
dark because I told 'em to, and you can't see them; but they're not
niggers--oh no! You can't trust niggers to fight. Your Jack Tars there
would send a hundred of 'em running. Niggers are good field hands, and
my chaps are bad at that, but they can fight, and so I tell you. Now,
skipper," he continued, turning quietly to the lieutenant, who was
pressing his lower lip hard between his teeth, "I think we understand
one another now, and that you see I didn't put up any bunkum when I
telled you that I was boss of this show. So you let me alone, and I'll
let you."

"Sir," said the lieutenant firmly, "I give you fair warning that if harm
happens to a man of my party my captain will land a force that will burn
this place to the ground."

"Very kind of him, too," said the man grimly, "but he won't, because he
mustn't. You don't seem to savvy, skipper, that you ain't at home here.
Do you know, sir, where you are?"

"Yes, sir; on the shores of one of his Majesty's West Indian Islands."

"I thought so, squire; well, then, you're jest about wrong, and you've
no more business here than if this here was Spain. I dessay you think
you can hyste the British flag here, but I tell you that you can't, for
this here island is called South Baltimore, and whenever a flag is
hysted here it's the stars and stripes and the Aymurrican eagle, what
some fellows call the goose and gridiron; and that's so."

"South Baltimore!" cried the lieutenant, who looked puzzled by the
announcement. "And pray, sir, who gave the island that name?"

"I did," said the Yankee drily. "Now then, will that do for you?"

"No, it will not do," cried the lieutenant hotly. "My officer will need
some far better explanation--one based upon greater authority than
this--before he gives up the duty he has to fulfil."

"Vurry well, sir, let him go and find a better explanation, then. It
don't trouble me. Only you had b