low chattering, to which the dog responded with a
bark.

"That's them, Jack. Chuck 'em down, old lad," cried Billy, smiling
gleefully, as he rubbed his hands up and down his sides.

Jack changed his position, his tail giving a whisk or spin round, and
looked down at Bruff, who now ran to the other side.

"Come, matey! Let's have 'em," said Billy. "Here, look sharp! Chuck
down the whole lot."

Jack chattered again, and then as Bruff barked he barked in no very bad
imitation, while he took hold of a leaf and gave it a shake.

"No, no; the nuts, stoopid, not them there leaves," cried Billy.

Jack shook another leaf and barked at the dog, who barked up at him, and
reared up and scratched the tree.

"Here, you be off, and don't interrupt," cried Billy, throwing his cap
at the dog. "Don't you see he's busy?"

Bruff caught the cap up in his teeth and trotted away with it, whereat
Jack chattered and sputtered more loudly, and again shook one of the
leaves, whilst the little party below looked on in an amused fashion.

"Why, Billy," said the boatswain at last, in the most stolid of tones,
"don't seem to me as that there is a monkey to be proud on."

"Oh yes, he is, Mr Small, sir! He's a good un, and he'd ha' sent them
there nuts a showering down if that there dorg hadn't begun his larks.
Here, give me my cap."

"Never mind the cap, Billy," said Mark, laughing, "we want the nuts."

"So do I, Mr Mark, sir," said Billy, scratching his head, "and I'd give
old Jack such a clout o' the head if I was up there."

"Ah! you'll have to teach him how, my man," said the major. "No nuts
that way."

"He knows, begging your pardon, sir," said Billy. "You just wait a
minute, sir, and you'll see."

"No," said the major, "it does not seem any use to wait. Come, Strong,
let's see how our wives are getting on."

"Well, I do call that shabby," muttered Billy. "Just as I was a taking
all this trouble. Here, you, sir, shy down one o' them nuts."

"Chick!" said Jack.

"Do you hear?"

"Chack!" said Jack.

"Now, look here," said Billy, stooping down and picking up a handful of
sand; "if you don't chuck down some of them here nuts I'll shy this here
at you and knock you off your perch."

"Chick, chick, chick! Chack, chack, chack! Chicker, chicker, chacker,
chacker, chacker, chack!" sputtered the monkey, dancing up and down in
the tree.

"Well, I am blamed!" cried Billy savagely, as he saw the captain and
major str