set of strong irregular, tobacco-stained
teeth, and imparted to the speaker the expression of a satyr.

The conversation thus far had been conducted as it had started, with
Leslie down on the main deck and Turnbull on the poop. The incongruity
of the arrangement now seemed to strike the latter, for he added--

"Come up here, mister; we can talk more comfortably when we're alongside
of one another; and you can spin me the yarn how you come to be all
alone by yourself on yon island."

In acceptance of this graciously worded invitation, Leslie ran lightly
up the poop ladder and, slightly raising his cap, said--

"Permit me to introduce myself, Captain Turnbull. My name is
_Leslie_,"--with emphasis--"and the recital of the chain of
circumstances which ended in my being cast away upon the island yonder
will be so lengthy that, with your permission, I will smoke a pipe as I
tell it."

And therewith he calmly drew his pipe from his pocket and, filling it,
lighted up. Meanwhile his manner, language, and appearance had been
steadily impressing the other man, who insensibly began to infuse his
own manner with a certain measure of respect as the interview lengthened
itself out.

Having lighted his pipe, Leslie proceeded to relate the whole story of
his adventure, beginning with his embarkation on board the _Golden
Fleece_, and ending up with the stranding of the _Mermaid_, but
carefully suppressing all reference whatsoever to Miss Trevor; and
representing himself not as an ex-naval officer, but as an amateur
yachtsman. He was careful also to mention nothing about the existence
of the cutter, but, on the other hand, dwelt at some length upon the
idea he had entertained of building a craft capable of carrying him and
a sufficient stock of provisions away from the island. "I doubt,
however, whether I should ever have managed it, single-handed. But your
arrival renders all further trouble on that score unnecessary," he said,
in conclusion.

"Well, yes," returned Turnbull, somewhat more genially than he had yet
spoken; "there's no call for you to worry about buildin' a boat now, as
you says, 'specially as you're a good navigator. You can come home with
us, workin' your passage by navigatin' the ship. For a good navigator
is just exactly what I happens to want."

"Ah, indeed! Cannot you rely upon your mate, then?" inquired Leslie,
blandly.

"My mate?" ejaculated the burly man; "well, no, I can't. That's to
say," he