r?"

"Yes, sir. Make him do up some of our lads with pigtails made of
blackened oakum, and in duck-frocks they'd do at a distance."

"Heads not shaven?"

"No, sir; but they could have their hair cut very short, and then
painted white--I mean yellow, so that the pirates wouldn't know at a
distance."

"Humph! anything else?" said the captain drily, but I did not notice it;
I was too much taken up by my ideas.

"Yes, sir. Ching could be going about very busily in all directions,
showing himself a great deal, and there's no mistake about him."

"No," said the captain, "there is no mistake about him."

"And it wouldn't be a bad plan to be at anchor near the place where you
thought they were, sir, with some of the spars down as if you were
repairing damages. That would make them feel sure that they were safe
of a prize, and they'd come off in their boats to attack."

"And then you would let them board us and find out their mistake?"

"That I wouldn't, sir!" I cried eagerly; and, oddly enough, my side
began to ache where I had had that blow. "I wouldn't risk any of our
poor fellows being hurt. I'd sink them before they got alongside."

"Humph! Well, you're pretty bloodthirsty for your time of life, young
gentleman," said the captain quietly.

"No, sir," I replied in confusion; "but I was with Mr Barkins and Mr
Smith, and nearly killed by these people, and yesterday I saw what they
had done aboard that barque."

"There? So you did, my lad. Well," he said, "what more have you got to
suggest?"

"I think that's all, sir," I said, beginning to grow confused again, for
my enthusiasm was dying out before his cool, matter-of-fact way of
taking matters.

"Then we will bring this meeting to an end, Mr Herrick."

"Yes, sir," I said dolefully, for I was wishing intensely that I had not
said a word. "Shall I go now?"

"If you please, Mr Herrick."

"Good-night, sir."

"Good-night, Mr Herrick; and the sooner you are in your berth the
better."

"Yes, sir," I said; and then to myself, as I reached the door, "and I
wish I had gone there at once, instead of stopping on deck."

"Stop!"

I turned with the door-handle in my fingers.

"You had better not say anything about the communication you have made
to me--I mean to your messmates."

"No, sir, I will not," I replied.

"Nor to any one else, least of all to that Chinaman."

"Oh no, sir, I'll be careful."

He nodded, and I slipped out, feeling, to use a