ir, that it's a donkey's bray."

"Of course it is," exclaimed Mr Saunders. "How in the name of wonder
came a donkey on board the ship?"

I thought it prudent not to reply; and the second lieutenant and other
officers who had come off with me of course said that they knew nothing
about it.

The first lieutenant, having now got into his breeches, calling the mate
of the lower deck, the master-at-arms, and others, to bring lanterns,
descended to the fore-hold. None of the men, however, except those who
were summoned, appeared inclined to follow them. I, however, expecting
to have my suspicions verified, went forward with Tom Pim. We heard old
Rough-and-Ready shouting out for a tackle, and in another minute up came
an unfortunate donkey. The poor brute, having fallen into the hold, had
given expression to its dissatisfaction by the sounds which had driven
the ship's company well-nigh out of their wits.

How the donkey had come on board was still to be discovered. My boat's
crew knew nothing about the matter; and it was surprising that the
captain's crew, including the coxswain, were equally unable to account
for the mysterious occurrence. As they had been engaged in transporting
the sentry-box across the harbour, it was just possible that they might
have taken it into their heads to imitate the example of their
superiors, and play a trick on their own account.

Whatever the first lieutenant might have thought on the subject, he took
no steps in the matter, but awaited the return of the captain. The
first thing the next morning, however, he sent the poor donkey ashore.

Late in the afternoon Lord Robert came on board, and received due
information of what had occurred. Perhaps he might have suspected how
the donkey had entered the ship; at the same time it is possible that
his conscience may have smote him for having set the example of
practical joking. At all events, he made no strenuous attempts to
discover the culprits. The next day he issued an order that, even if
his satanic majesty and a thousand of his imps should come aboard, the
men were not to turn out of their hammocks till piped up by the
boatswain.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

A TRIP TO LONDON.

While we lay in harbour, three ships of Sir Edward Hughes' squadron from
the East Indies came home and were paid off, the crew not only receiving
their pay, but large sums for prize-money. Scarcely had they dropped
their anchors than the ships were bo