own mind, and then, with
an air of condescension, observed: "Upon those conditions, Mynheer
Kloots, your animal may remain on board."

Mynheer Kloots and Philip then left the cabin; the former, who was in
no very good humour, muttering as he walked away--"If the Company send
their _monkeys_ on board, I think I may well have my _bear_" And,
pleased with his joke, Mynheer Kloots recovered his good humour.

Chapter IX

We must allow the Indian fleet to pursue its way to the Cape with
every variety of wind and weather. Some had parted company; but
the rendezvous was Table Bay, from which they were again to start
together.

Philip Vanderdecken was soon able to render some service on board.
He studied his duty diligently, for employment prevented him from
dwelling too much upon the cause of his embarkation, and he worked
hard at the duties of the ship, for the exercise procured for him that
sleep which otherwise would have been denied.

He was soon a favourite of the captain, and intimate with Hillebrant,
the first mate; the second mate, Struys, was a morose young man, with
whom he had little intercourse. As for the supercargo, Mynheer Jacob
Janz Von Stroom, he seldom ventured out of his cabin. The bear
Johannes was not confined, and therefore Mynheer Von Stroom confined
himself; hardly a day passed that he did not look over a letter which
he had framed upon the subject, all ready to forward to the Company;
and each time that he perused it he made some alteration, which he
considered would give additional force to his complaint, and would
prove still more injurious to the interests of Captain Kloots.

In the meantime, in happy ignorance of all that was passing in the
poop-cabin, Mynheer Kloots smoked his pipe, drank his schnapps, and
played with Johannes. The animal had also contracted a great affection
for Philip, and used to walk the watch with him.

There was another party in the ship whom we must not lose sight
of--the one-eyed pilot, Schriften, who appeared to have imbibed a
great animosity towards our hero, as well as to his dumb favourite
the bear. As Philip held the rank of an officer, Schriften dared not
openly affront, though he took every opportunity of annoying him, and
was constantly inveighing against him before the ship's company. To
the bear he was more openly inveterate, and seldom passed it without
bestowing upon it a severe kick, accompanied with a horrid curse.
Although no one on board ap