Toughyarn," said the lawyer, "you don't doubt the
veracity of my statement."

"Not I," answered the captain, but with a most provoking look of
scepticism, which belied his words.

"I do believe the captain's a sceptic," said the chairman. "Take care,
captain, the rules of this club are severe. If any member or guest
presumes to doubt the statement of any other member of the club, given
out by the said member as a fact, he shall incur the penalty of being
forced to drink a cup of cold water on his bended knees, and----"

"Ugh!" groaned the captain, before the chairman had finished his
sentence. "Well, chairman," he said, humbly awed at the severity of the
sentence, "I don't mean to say that I'll give a 'lee lurch,' and throw
Mr. Hardcase's cargo overboard altogether; but the fact is I have been
on shore so long, that I have got quite out of the way of shipping those
sorts of goods into my hold, and it rather sticks in my tramway, but I
have no doubt that another glass of grog will send it clean down, and
that I shall find storage-room in my hull for that and as much more
cargo as any of our messmates choose to ship this evening."

"Hear, hear," cried the guests, passing the bowl towards the captain,
who, after having filled up his glass and drained it, declared himself
ready to set sail.

"Another bowl, landlord!" shouted the chairman; "and whilst you are
about it, you might bring up another log as well. See how the cold makes
the fire burn." Then, turning to his guest, Mr. Vandyke McGuilp, he
observed, "It is lucky you arrived in time to-night for our great
meeting. You have now heard a specimen of these stories, the fame of
which has reached Rome."

At this moment the host returned with a fresh bowl of punch, which was
received with a murmur of approbation. The landlord then stirred up the
fire, and put on a fresh log. It was getting late, but that was nothing
for the members of the "Wonder Club" on such an occasion as this.

"It's freezing hard to-night, sir," said the landlord to the chairman.

"Is it, mine host?" said Mr. Oldstone, rendered still more good humoured
under the influence of the punch. "Then fill up a bumper and drink to
the health of our club, after which you may sit down here and listen to
the next story, if you can prevent falling asleep. Our first story you
have missed. Oh, I can assure you it would have given you the horrors to
have listened to it."

Here our worthy host filled up a glas