t such a mistake after all."

"Dick Price," said Corrie, gravely, at the same time laying his hand
impressively on his companion's arm, "I'm a _tremendous_ joker--_awful_
fond o' fun and skylarkin'."

"'Pon my word, lad, if you hadn't said so yourself, I'd scarce have
believed it. You don't look like it just now, by no manner o' means."

"But I am though," continued Corrie; "and I tell you that in order to
shew you that I am very, _very_ much in earnest at this moment; and that
you _must_ give your mind to what I've got to say."

The boatswain was impressed by the fervour of the boy. He looked at him
in surprise for a few seconds, then nodded his head, and said, "Fire
away!"

"You know that Gascoyne is in prison!" said Corrie.

"In course I does. That's one rascally pirate less on the seas,
anyhow."

"He's not so bad as you think, Dick."

"Whew!" whistled the boatswain. "You're a friend of his, are ye?"

"No; not a friend, but neither am I an enemy. You know he saved my
life, and the lives of two of my friends, and of your own captain, too."

"Well, there's no denying that; but he must have been the means of
takin' away more lives than what he has saved."

"No, he hasn't," cried Corrie, eagerly. "That's it, that's just the
point; he has saved more than he ever took away, and he's sorry for what
he has done; yet they're going to hang him. Now, I say, that's sinful--
it's not just. It shan't be done if I can prevent it; and you must help
me to get him out of this scrape--you must indeed, Dick Price."

The boatswain was quite taken aback. He opened his eyes wide with
surprise, and putting his head to one side, gazed earnestly and long at
the boy as if he had been a rare old painting.

Before he could reply, the furious barking of a dog attracted Corrie's
attention. He knew it to be the voice of Toozle. Being well acquainted
with the locality of Alice's tree, he at once concluded that she was
there, and knowing that she would certainly side with him, and that the
side she took _must_ necessarily be the winning side, he resolved to
bring Dick Price within the fascination of her influence.

"Come, follow me," said he; "we'll talk it over with a friend of mine."

The seaman followed the boy obediently, and in a few minutes stood
beside Alice.

Corrie had expected to find her there, but he had not counted on meeting
with Poopy and Jo Bumpus.

"Hallo! Grampus, is that you?"

"Wot! Corrie, my bo