dings.

"Well, sir," he said, coming up to Stanley, "I suppose we must see about
getting the old man buried. I am no hand at preaching or praying, and
so I will ask you to read the funeral service. We will do all things
ship-shape and right."

"Why, sir," exclaimed Stanley, in a tone of indignation, "the poor man's
breath is scarcely out of his body! You would not throw him overboard
at once surely!"

"We have to manage that sort of thing pretty sharply out in these
latitudes," answered Kydd. "I shall be wanting his cabin, too; and as
it may be two or three days before we reach Loando, we cannot have him
buried on shore. We are not far off that place, and I hope we shall be
able to get an observation in a short time, and see exactly where we
are."

"You are now master of the vessel, and I shall not interfere with your
authority," said Stanley; "but I think it would be more decent to wait
as long as we can for the sake of the poor little boy there. When his
feelings are more calm he would like to see his dead father."

"Oh, certainly, sir, as you please, as you please," said the mate,
turning away. "I will give you another hour to indulge your fancy, but
I have no maudlin feelings of that sort."

If the look of unutterable disgust which passed over my cousin's
countenance could have made Kydd ashamed of himself, he would have hid
his face; but he continued pacing the deck and turning his head about as
if considering which order he should next issue. I saw Kate at length
take Natty down into the captain's cabin, and I thought it best to allow
her and the boy to be alone there together at that sad moment. The
boatswain then came aft and said that he and the crew wished to see
their late captain.

"What is that for?" asked Kydd, and I thought he was going to refuse the
request.

"He was our friend, and we would like to have a last look at his kind
face," answered the boatswain.

"Well, if the passengers do not mind your going into the cabin, I do
not," said the mate, turning aside.

Perhaps he did not quite like the expression of old Barker's
countenance. I led the way into the cabin, and the crew came, one by
one, following the boatswain. "Well, you was an honest, kind man as
ever lived, and that's more than can be said of him who has stepped into
your shoes," said old Barker, apostrophising the captain. "He is less
of a sailor than your little finger was; and as to sense, he has not as
much as wa