lish prison officer never forgets, nor forgives, an escape, and
the law doesn't either. If they was to see me, I'd be taken back to
stand the charges ag'in me."

"But how would they know you?" asked Alice. "Besides, it isn't at all
likely that anyone on that vessel had anything to do with your being
taken into custody on the mutiny charge. That was years ago."

"I know Miss, but they might remember me, even if I have changed a lot.
And this is mostly English waters around here. English islands, too. It
was somewhere about here I was imprisoned. Before I set foot on land,
I'm going to find out if it's English, and if it is, I'm goin' to stay
on board. I'm not goin' to take any chances."

"But can't they arrest you at sea, if there should be such a possibility
that they recognized you?"

"Not if I'm three miles from land, I think. Still, I may be wrong about
that. I wish I hadn't come on this voyage, that's a fact. I don't like
the sight of that English flag."

"Don't worry," advised Alice. "There isn't one chance in a thousand that
you would be recognized after these years. In the first place, you have
changed a lot. And, in the second place, probably the English officers
who arrested you, and the others, are in some other part of the world
now. Why do you think they may be on that steamer?"

"Well, things don't change down here as much as you might think,"
replied Jack, as he and Alice watched the steamer coming nearer. "And an
Englishman is less likely to change than anybody else, Miss. He'll often
stay in the same berth until he dies. So it's likely some of the same
officers who were around here when I was arrested are here yet. And they
may be on that vessel."

"But how can they recognize you?" Alice persisted.

"Well, if they didn't know me, they might know this ship."

"This ship! Why, this is only a small vessel, and yours was a big
five-master."

"I know, Miss, I know," said Jack, with a nervous look over his
shoulder. "But here's a secret I haven't told to anyone yet. This may be
the _Mary Ellen_, but she used to be the _Halcyon_!"

Alice started back in surprise.

"The _Halcyon_!" she gasped. "How could it be?"

"This way, Miss. They built her over, cut down her length, and changed
her so hardly anybody would recognize her. But I knew the _Mary Ellen_
for the _Halcyon_ almost as soon as I came aboard."

"And is that why you acted so--so queer?"

"Partly--yes. You see she was first the _Mary El