erman in it, he points to the
Chilian ship, saying:

"Heave along, lad; an' put me aboard o' yonder craft--that one as shows
the three-colour bit o' bunting wi' a single star in the blue. The
sooner ye do your job, the better ye'll get paid for it."

A contract on such conditions is usually entered into with alacrity, and
with celerity carried out. The boatman beaches his tiny craft, takes in
his fare, and in less than ten minutes' time Harry Blew swarms up the
man-ropes of the Chilian ship, strides over the rail, and drops down
upon her deck.

He looks around, but sees no one--at least nothing in the shape of a
sailor. Only an old negro, with skin black as a boot, and crow-footed
all over the face, standing beside two singular creatures nearly as
human-like as himself, but covered with fox-coloured hair!

The ex-man-o'-war's man is for a time in doubt as to which of the three
he should address himself. In point of intelligence there seems not
much to choose. However, he with the black skin cuts short his
hesitation by stepping forward, and saying:

"Well, mass'r sailor-man, wha' you come for? S'pose you want see de
cappen? I'se only de cook."

"Oh, you're only the cook, are you? Well, old caboose; you've made a
correct guess about my bizness. It's the capten I do want to see."

"All right. He down in de cabin. You wait hya. I fotch 'im up less'n
no time!"

The old darkey shuffling aft, disappears down the companion-way, leaving
Harry with the two monstrous-looking creatures, whom he has now made out
to be orang-outangs.

"Well, mates!" says the sailor, addressing them in a jocular way, "what
be your opeenyun o' things in general? D'ye think the wind's goin' to
stay sou'-westerly, or shift roun' to the nor'-eastart?"

"Cro--cro--croak!"

"Oh, hang it, no. I ain't o' the croakin' sort. Ha'n't ye got nothin'
more sensible than that to say to me!"

"Kurra--kra--kra. Cro--cro--croak!"

"No; I won't do anythink o' the kind; leastways, unless there turns out
to be short commons 'board this eer craft. Then I'll croak, an' no
mistake. But I say, old boys, how 'bout the grog? Reg'lar allowance, I
hope--three tots a day?"

"Na--na--na--na--na--boof! Ta--ta--ta--fuff!"

"No! only two, ye say! Ah! that won't do for me. For ye see,
shipmates--I s'pose I shall be callin' ye so--'board the old _Crusader_,
I've been 'customed to have my rum reg'lar, three times the day; an' if
it ain't same on