to Lancey.

"The captin," he said, with quiet gravity, "bids me tell to you that you
is a liar."

Lancey flushed deeply. "I would tell _you_," he said, with a frown, "to
tell the captain that 'e's another, on'y that would show I was as
bad-mannered as 'imself."

"If I do tells him zat," returned the officer, "you should have your
head cutted off immediately."

Lancey's indignation having already half-cooled, and his memory being
refreshed just then with some vivid remembrances of the Eastern mode of
summoning black slaves by the clapping of hands, followed by the flying
off of heads or the prompt application of bowstrings to necks, he said,
still however with an offended air--

"Well then, tell 'im what you like, hall I've got to say is that I've
told the plain truth, an' 'e's welcome to believe it or not as 'e
likes."

Without the slightest change in his grave countenance, or his appearing
in the least degree offended by Lancey's free-and-easy manner, the
red-bearded officer again turned to address the captain. Lancey now
observed that the latter replied with a degree of deferential respect
which seemed unnatural in mere brother officers.

"You is regarded as a spy," said the red-beard, turning once more to
Lancey, and fixing his cold grey eye intently on him, as if to read his
thoughts.

"No, I ain't a spy," returned the unfortunate man, somewhat bitterly,
"nor never mean to be. 'Ang me if you like. I've nothink more to say."

Neither the captain nor the red-bearded officer replied, but the former
waved his hand, and the two sailors who had led Lancey to the cabin
again seized him and led him away, more roughly than before. The free
spirit of my poor servant resented this unnecessary rudeness, and he
felt a strong inclination to fight, but discretion, or some faint
remembrance of scimitars and bowstrings, induced him to submit.

Full well did he know what was the fatal doom of a spy, and a sinking of
the heart came over him as he thought of immediate execution. At the
very least, he counted on being heavily ironed and thrust into the
darkest recesses of the hold. Great, then, was his surprise when the
man who had at first acted as interpreter took him below and supplied
him with a dry shirt and a pair of trousers.

Thankfully accepting these, and standing between two guns, he put them
on.

"Who is the hofficer with the red beard?" he asked, while thus engaged.

The interpreter seemed unwilling