ve been a watchin' on her. There ain't no woman livin'
with a step like that!' says he.

"'Wal, who should the critter be, then?' says I.

"'Wal,' says Tom, 'ef that 'are ain't a British naval officer, I lose
my bet. I've been used to the ways on 'em, and I knows their build and
their step.'

"'And what do you suppose she's got in that long box?' says I.

"'What has she got?' says Tom. 'Wal, folks might say none o' my bisness;
but I s'pects it'll turn out some o' my bisness, and yourn too, if
he don't look sharp arter it,' says Tom. 'It's no good, that 'are box
ain't.'

"'Why don't you speak to Mr. More?' says I.

"'Wal, you see she's a chipperin' round and a mak-in' herself agreeable
to both on 'em, you see; she don't mean to give nobody any chance for
a talk with 'em; but I've got my eye on her, for all that. You see I
hain't no sort o' disposition to sarve out a time on one o' them British
prison-ships,' says Tom Toothacre. 'It might be almighty handy for them
British to have "The Brilliant" for a coast-vessel,' says he; 'but, ye
see, it can't be spared jest yet. So, madam,' says he,'I've got my eye
on you.'

"Wal, Tom was as good as his word; for when Mr. More came towards him
at the wheel, Tom he up and says to him, 'Mr. More,' says he, 'that 'are
big box in the state-room yonder wants lookin' into.'

"Tom was a sort o' privileged character, and had a way o' speakin' up
that the officers took in good part, 'cause they knew he was a fust-rate
hand.

"Wal, Mr. More he looks mysterious; and says he, Tom, do the boys know
what's in that 'are box?'

"'I bet they don't,' says Tom. 'If they had, you wouldn't a got 'em to
help it aboard.'

"'Wal, you see, poor woman,' says Mr. More to Tom, 'she was so
distressed. She wanted to get her husband's body to Boston; and there
wa'n't no other way, and so the cap'n let it come aboard. He didn't want
the boys to suspect what it really Was.'

"'Husband's body be hanged!' said Tom. 'Guess that 'are corpse ain't
so dead but what there'll be a resurrection afore mornin', if it ain't
looked arter,' says he.

"'Why, what do you mean, Tom?' said Mr. More, all in a blue maze.

"'I mean, that 'are gal that's ben a switchin' her petticuts up and down
our deck ain't no gal at all. That are's a British officer, Mr. More.
You give my duty to the cap'n, and tell him to look into his wid-der's
bandbox, and see what he'll find there.'

"Wal, the mate he went and had a talk with