ow yesterday, instead of that over-grown lout, Harvey, I
would have kept you out of the serape. You must be very quiet and
submissive when he pitches into you, and plead ignorance--say you will
be a good boy and not do it again, you know."

"But have I really done anything very dreadful?" I inquired, more than
half taken in by the young monkey's serious manner.

"Oh, Lord! hold me, somebody, while I faint!" he exclaimed, turning up
the whites of his eyes like a dying duck in a thunder-storm, and
flinging himself so suddenly backwards into the arms of Harvey that the
latter went down stern foremost, landing on the deck with one hand in
the beef-kid and the other in the blacking-box, while Markham rolled on
the top of him, kicking spasmodically, and simulating the feeble
struggles of an expiring person.

Luckily for "Goliath," it was the ludicrous side of this episode which
presented itself most strongly to his victim, or a sound thrashing
would, in all probability, have been his portion; as it was, the pair
scrambled to their feet again with a hearty laugh, as good friends as
ever.

"I declare, Chester, you'll be the death of me some day, if you go on
like this," resumed my would-be tormentor; "your touching innocence
would move a brass monkey to tears. Why," he continued, looking round
and addressing in low, measured tones, intended to express overwhelming
astonishment, the fragment of glass which still clung to one corner of
its frame, and, hanging suspended against the bulkhead, did duty as a
mirror--"he asks if he has really done anything very dreadful!! Is it
actually possible, my gentle infant, that you are ignorant of the fact
that you yesterday took the command out of your superior officers'
hands, and that the punishment for such a crime--when it happens to be a
first offence--is keelhauling, while a repetition thereof is visited
with the extreme penalty of the law?"

"And pray what is _keelhauling_?" I inquired, beginning to perceive
that my mercurial friend was merely indulging in a joke at my expense.

"Keelhauling, sir," he replied, "is a form of punishment which consists
in being lashed to a stout rope which is passed under the ship's bottom,
and whereby the unhappy criminal is dragged along the keel from forward,
aft; he being required, during the journey, to gather a sufficiency of
barnacles off the ship's bottom to furnish a satisfying breakfast for
the captain next morning. If the unfortunat