reted.

"Good; I should like to have seen that," replied the pacha.

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Well, as soon as we were rid of the Frenchmen, we made our port, and
soon had another cargo on board, and, after a good run, got safe to the
Havannah, where we sold our slaves; but I did'nt much like the sarvice,
so I cut the schooner, and sailed home in summer, and got back safe to
England. There I fell in with Betsey, and as she proved a regular out
and outer, I spliced her; and a famous wedding we had of it, as long as
the rhino lasted; but that wasn't long, the more's the pity; so I went
to sea for more. When I came back after my trip, I found that Bet
hadn't behaved quite so well as she might have done, so I cut my stick,
and went away from her altogether.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why didn't you put her in a sack?" inquired the pacha, when Mustapha
explained.

"Put her head in a bag--no, she wasn't so ugly as all that," replied the
sailor. "Howsomever, to coil away."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I joined a privateer brig, and after three cruises I had plenty of
money, and determined to have another spell on shore, that I might get
rid of it. Then I picked up Sue, and spliced again; but, Lord bless
your heart, she turned out a regular built tartar--nothing but fight
fight, scratch scratch, all day long, till I wished her at old Scratch.
I was tired of her, and Sue had taken a fancy to another chap; so says
she one day, "As we both be of the same mind, why don't you sell me, and
then we may part in a respectable manner." I agrees; and I puts a
halter round her neck, and leads her to the market-place, the chap
following to buy her. "Who bids for this woman," says I.

"I do," says he.

"What will you give?"

"Half-a-crown," says he.

"Will you throw a glass of grog into the bargain?"

"Yes," says he.

"Then she's yours; and I wish you much joy of your bargain." So I hands
the rope to him, and he leads her off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How much do you say he sold his wife for?" said the pacha to Mustapha,
when this part of the story was repeated to him.

"A piastre, and a drink of the fire water," replied the vizier.

"Ask him if she was handsome?" said the pacha.

"Handsome," replied the sailor to Mustap