our reputation--mine--Mr Anderson's. But you
were going to say something, to ask me some question."

"Yes, sir; about taking steps to get the sloop out of the bed in which
she lies."

"Poor bird, yes; but you see no risk for the present?"

"Not the slightest, sir. The mud is so soft."

"Mud generally is, Mr Thomson," said the captain blandly. "Well, then,
let her rest for a while. We are all tired after a long night's work.
Pass the word to Mr Dempsey, and let him pipe all hands for breakfast.
I want mine badly."

There was a faint cheer at this, followed by another, and then by one
which Murray said was a regular "roarer."

"I say," he said to Roberts, "doesn't he take it splendidly!"

"Don't you make any mistake," replied that young gentleman. "He seems
as cool as a cucumber, but he's boiling with rage, and if he had that
Yankee here he'd hang him from the yard-arm as sure as he's his mother's
son."

"And serve him right," said Murray bitterly.

"What's that, young gentlemen?" said the captain, turning upon them
sharply, for he had noted what was going on and placed his own
interpretation upon the conversation--"criticising your superiors?"

"No, sir," said Murray frankly; "we were talking about punishing the
Yankee who tricked us into this."

"Gently, Mr Murray--gently, sir! You hot-blooded boys are in _too_
great a hurry. Wait a bit. I dare say we shall have the pleasure of
another interview with him; and, by the way, Mr Anderson, I think as we
are so near, we might as well inspect the indiarubber plantations of our
friend. We might see, too, if he has any more work-people of the same
type as those who manned his galley."

"I'm afraid we should only find them on board the schooner, sir," said
the chief officer bitterly.

"Exactly," said the captain; "but I wonder at you young gentlemen," he
continued--"you with your sharp young brains allowing yourselves to be
deceived as you were. Those fellows who formed the lugger's crew ought
not to have hoodwinked you."

"They did me, sir," said Roberts, speaking out warmly, "but Murray,
here, sir, was full of suspicion from the first."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

AMONGST THE HORRORS.

The crew of the _Seafowl_ had a busy day's work after a good refresher,
during which officers and men had been discussing in low tones the way
in which "the skipper," as they called him, had let himself be tricked
by the Yankee. The younger men wanted to know what he cou