's Life_ or the _Royal Almanac_; hows'ever, that's wot it
is. When ye've got a short road to go, don't try to make it shorter,
say I--"

"An' when ye've got a long story to tell, don't try to make it longer,"
interrupted Larry, winking at his comrade through the smoke of his pipe.

"Well, as I wos sayin'," continued Bill, doggedly, "we didn't git on so
well after a bit; but somehow or other we got here at last, and cast
anchor in this very hotel. Off I goes at once an' buys a cart an' a
mule, an' then I sets to work to lay in provisions. Now, d'ye see,
lads, 'twould ha' bin better if I had bought the provisions first an'
the mule and the cart after, for I had to pay ever so many dollars a day
for their keep. At last I got it all square; packed tight and tied up
in the cart--barrels o' flour, and kegs o' pork, an' beans, an' brandy,
an' what not; an' away I went alone; for, d'ye see, I carry a compass,
an' when I've once made a voyage, I never need to be told how to steer.

"But my troubles began soon. There's a ford across the river here,
which I was told I'd ha' to cross; and sure enough, so I did--but it's
as bad as Niagara, if not worse--an' when I gits half way over, we wos
capsized, and went down the river keel up. I dun know yet very well how
I got ashore, but I did somehow--"

"And did the cart go for it?" inquired Captain Bunting, aghast.

"No, the cart didn't. She stranded half-a-mile further down, on a rock,
where she lies to this hour, with a wheel smashed and the bottom out,
and about three thousand tons o' water swashin' right through her every
hour; but all the provisions and the mule went slap down the Sacramento;
an', if they haven't bin' picked up on the way, they're cruisin' off the
port o' San Francisco by this time."

The unfortunate seaman stopped at this point to relight his pipe, while
his comrades laughingly commented on his misadventure.

"Ah! ye may laugh; but I can tell ye it warn't a thing to be laughed at;
an' at this hour I've scarce one dollar to rub 'gainst another."

"Never mind, my boy," said Ned, as he and the others laughed loud and
long at the lugubrious visage of their comrade; "we've got well-lined
pockets, I assure you; and, of course, we have _your_ share of the
profits of our joint concern to hand over whenever you wish it."

The expression of Bill Jones's face was visibly improved by this piece
of news, and he went on with much greater animation.

"Well, my sto