know that I am going to-night, and with Henry
Stuart."

"Why not?"

"Ah! that's the point. Mystery! Alice--mystery! What a world of
mystery this is!" observed the precocious Corrie, shaking his head with
profound solemnity. "I've been involved, (I think that's the word,)
rolled up, drowned, and buried in mystery for more than three weeks, and
I'm beginning to fear that I'll never again git into the unmysteriously
happy state in which I lived before this abominable man-of-war came to
the island. No Alice, I dare not say anything more on that point even
to you _just now_. But _won't_ I give it you all in my first letter?
and _won't_ you open your eyes just until they look like two blue
saucers?"

Further conversation between the friends was interrupted at this point
by the inrushing of Toozle, followed up by Poopy, and, a short time
after, by Mr Mason, who took Alice away with him, and left poor Corrie
disconsolate.

While this was going on, John Bumpus was fulfilling his mission to Ole
Thorwald.

He found that obstinate individual in his own parlour, deep in the
investigation of the state of his books of business, which had been
allowed to fall into arrear during his absence.

"Come in, Bumpus. So I hear you were half-hanged when we were away."

Ole wheeled round on his stool and hooked his thumbs into the arm-holes
of his vest as he said this, leaned his back against his desk, and
regarded the seaman with a facetious look.

"Half-hanged, indeed," said Bumpus, indignantly. "I was more than
half--three-quarters at least. Why, the worst of it's over w'en the
rope's round your neck."

"That is a matter which you can't speak to, John Bumpus, seeing that
you've never gone beyond the putting of the rope round your neck."

"Well, I'm content with wot I does happen to know about it," remarked
Jo, making a wry face; "an' I hope that I'll never git the chance of
knowin' more. But I comed here on business, Mr Thorwald," (here John
became mysterious and put his finger to his lips.) "I've comed here, Mr
Thorwald, to--_split_."

As Ole did not quite understand the meaning of this word, and did not
believe that the seaman actually meant to rend himself from head to
foot, he said--"Why, Bumpus, what d'ye mean?"

"I mean as how that I've comed to split on my comrades--w'ich means, I'm
goin' to tell upon 'em."

"Oh!" exclaimed Ole, eyeing the man with a look of distrust.

"Yes," pursued Bumpus, "I'm willin' to