irst mate, in an
effort to borrow a pipeful of tobacco.

Suddenly Freddie heard behind him the loud harsh laughter of Marmaduke
the parrot. Turning round, he saw the parrot perched on the ship's rail,
and before him was the Cabin-boy, shaking his finger in the parrot's
face, and storming away at him angrily. Freddie immediately went over to
them.

"I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer!" the Cabin-boy was
bawling, his face nearly as red as his hair. "I w-w-w-won't! W-w-w-what
do you m-m-m-mean by m-m-m-mocking me all the t-t-t-ime?"

"Who? M-m-m-m-m-me?" said the parrot.

"Y-y-y-yaas, y-y-y-you!" cried the Cabin-boy. "Just because I
s-s-s-s-s-stutter, do you--do you--do you have to--have
to--s-s-s-s-stut-stutter too?"

"M-m-m-m-me? You're entirely m-m-m-m-mistaken. You're the one that
s-s-s-stut-s-s-s-stutters."

"Ain't you always s-s-saying--saying--ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak,
b-b-b-b-bacon and eggs? Ain't you? You've got to k-k-k-k-quit--r-r-right
_now_, d'you _hear_? I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer, and
you b-b-b-better b-b-b-believe it!"

"Highty-tighty! Sixty, ninety! Uncle Sam! Pop pop! Th-th-there's
ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs! Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers
for l-l-l-liver and onions!"

The poor Cabin-boy burst out crying.

"All ri-i-i-ight," he sobbed, stamping his foot. "All ri-i-i-ight. I
c-c-can't help it--if--I do s-s-stutter. But there ain't no
p-p-p-p-parrot going to m-m-m-m-mock me, M-m-m-m-mizzen nor no
M-m-m-m-mizzen. I'll wring--your--bla-a-a-asted--neck first, you
ornery--l-l-l-little--varmint, you s-s-s-see if I--see if
I--d-d-d-don't!"

"Marmaduke's my name!" shrieked the parrot. "Please to note the same!
Pop, pop, pop! I'll have l-l-l-liver and onions, l-l-l-l-liver and
onions, l-l-l-l-liver and onions, pop, pop, pop!"

The Cabin-boy, shaking with sobs, raised his hand threateningly.

"D-d-d-d-don't you d-d-d-dare t-t-t-to--Ker-_choo_!" He sneezed, and out
came his handkerchief.

"Ker-_choo_!" sneezed the parrot, and rubbed his beak with his foot.

This was the last straw. The Cabin-boy reached for Marmaduke's neck, and
would surely have choked him then and there, if Freddie had not caught
his arm and pulled him away.

The Cabin-boy allowed himself to be led off, and Freddie drew him along
towards the companion-way.

"Come along down to my room," said Freddie.

"All r-r-right," said the Cabin-boy, wiping his eyes and sniffling.
"I'll c-c