ied he, "I have not that honour. I have never seen you
in my life before, and I do not know you."

My blood was up at this cool declaration.

"Then I wish you a good morning, sir," replied I; and turning on my
heel, I was strutting out with all the dignity of an offended
midshipman, when I was met face to face by the little girl, his
daughter. She stared at me very much, and I passed her in sovereign
contempt; she followed me timidly, and looked into my face, then panting
for breath, seized me by the arm. I turned to her at being stopped in
this manner, and was about to shake her off with anything but
politeness, when she screamed out, and in a moment had sprung up, and
was hanging with both arms round my neck.

"Fader, fader," she cried out as I struggled to disengage myself.

The old gentleman came out at the summons.

"Stop him! fader; don't let him go away," cried she in Dutch; "it is he!
it is he!"

"Who, my child?" asked the old gentleman.

"The pirate-boy," replied the little girl, bursting into a paroxysm of
tears, on my shoulders.

"Mein Gott! it cannot be; he was _black_, my child; yet," continued the
old gentleman, looking at me, "he is like him. Tell me, sir, are you
our preserver?"

"Yes," replied I, "I was; but that is of little consequence now. Will
you oblige me by removing this young lady?" continued I, for I was
highly offended.

"Sir, I ask your pardon," replied the old gentleman; "but I am not to
blame. How could I recognise you in a white person when you were so
dark-coloured at our meeting on board of that vessel? I am not to
blame; indeed I am not, my dear young friend. I would have given ten
thousand rix dollars to have met you, that I might prove my gratitude
for your noble defence of us, and our preservation at such a risk.
Come, sir, you must forgive the mistake of an old man, who was certainly
not inclined to be civil to an officer who belonged to the squadron, who
had within these few days so humiliated us by their astonishing bravery
and success. Let my little girl, whose life you saved, persuade you, if
I cannot."

In the mean time the little girl had dropped from my shoulder, and was
on the floor, embracing my knees, and still sobbing. I felt convinced
that what the old gentleman said was true, and that he had not
recognised me. I had forgotten that I had been stained dark at the time
that I had met them on board of the Stella.

I therefore held out my hand to t