eld his head high, and showed no
sign of feeling abashed, or ashamed at the memory of his conduct aboard
the boat.

"Ah, ah!" he gasped, for the climb had taken his breath away. "Bud id
is hod for walking, Meinheer Dick, and zese steps zey are sdeep. I
greed you brave Englishman as one brave man would anozer. I render
zanks for your aid. I am proud to shake ze hand of mine comrade who
came into ze wild sea to give me ze help."

"Goodness!" thought Dick, "he speaks as if he had actually been
attempting to save his friend, and had not really been the means of
almost drowning him."

He glanced furtively at the second stranger, as the fat man grasped his
hand and pumped it up and down, while at the same time he vainly
endeavoured to mop his streaming forehead. But Dick could read nothing
in the face of Mr Pepson. Perhaps the keen sunken eyes twinkled ever
so little. Perhaps that twitch of the thin lips was a smile suppressed.
Beyond that there was nothing. Mr Pepson gazed at his rescuer with
evident interest, and seemed barely to notice the presence of his
companion. At length, however, he moved forward a step and addressed
himself quietly to Dick.

"Let me introduce our friend," he said, with a quaint little bow,
removing his topee as he did so. "This is Meinheer Van Somering, of
Elmina."

"Dutch by birdh and a Dutchman to ze backbone, Meinheer," exclaimed the
stout man, as he released Dick's hand. "I am one of ze residents of
Elmina, which was in ze hands of mine coundry till ladely, you
undersdand. Id is a spod to visid. Ah! zere you will find comford.
But I have nod zanked you."

"Indeed you have. You have said enough. I did nothing to speak of,"
exclaimed Dick, hastily. "How are you? None the worse for your
adventure?"

"None, we thank you," answered Mr Pepson, interrupting the voluble
Dutchman as he was in the act of launching forth into a speech. "We
grieve to hear how badly you have fared, and we hope that you are now on
the mend. You do not like thanks. I see that plainly. Then I will say
very little. I owe you my life, Mr Stapleton, and I and all consider
your action to have been an extremely plucky one. Now, may we sit down?
It is hot, as Meinheer says. And these steps are steep."

"Sdeep! Mein word! In Elmina zere are none like dese. Here, in Cape
Coast Castle, everyzing is sdeep. You climb or you run downhill. Zere
is no level. Id is derrible!"

The fat little Dutchman