" said Murray good-humouredly.

"That's it, old chap. Oh, I say, though, I wish it was nearly night,
and that we were going off at once. But I say, where's the Yankee?"

"What!" cried Murray, starting. "Isn't he alongside in his boat?"

"No; didn't you see? He came aboard half-an-hour ago. Old Bosun
Dempsey fetched him out of his lugger; and look yonder, you croaking old
cock raven. We always have one jolly as sentry at the gangway, don't
we?"

"Of course."

"Very well, look now; there are two loaded and primed ready for any
pranks the lugger men might play; and there are the two cutters ready
for lowering down at a moment's notice, and it wouldn't take long for
Dempsey to fizzle out his tune on his pipe and send the crews into
them."

"Bah! Pish! Pooh! and the rest of it. What do you mean by that?
Look, the lugger is a fast sailer."

"Well, I dare say she is, but one of our little brass guns can send
balls that sail through the air much faster. So drop all those dismal
prophecies and damping thoughts about danger. Our officers know their
way about and have got their eyes open. The skipper knows about
everything, and what he doesn't know bully Anderson tells him. It's all
right, Franky. Just look at the lads! Why, there's Tom May smiling as
if he'd filled his pockets full of prize money."

"Yes," assented Murray, "and the other lads have shaped their phizzes to
match. But let's get closer to the lugger."

"What for?" said Roberts sharply.

"To have a good look at her Indiarubber-cultivating crew."

"Not I!" cried Roberts. "If we go there you'll begin to see something
wrong again, and begin to croak."

"No, no; honour bright! If I do think anything, I won't say a word."

"I'd better keep you here out of temptation," said Roberts dubiously.

"Nonsense! It's all right, I tell you. There, come along."

CHAPTER FIVE.

TRUSTING A GUIDE.

The two lads made for where they could get a good view of the lugger
swinging by a rope abreast of the starboard gangway, and as they passed
along the quarter-deck, the shrill strident tones of the American's
voice reached them through one of the open cabin skylights, while
directly after, Murray, keen and observant of everything, noted that the
two marines of whom his companion had spoken were standing apparently
simply on duty, but thoroughly upon the alert and ready for anything,
their whole bearing suggesting that they had received the strictes