nto this here small boat--which is one o' the Skylark's
boats--only just in time to save ourselves; but she had only one oar in
her, and no mast, or sail, or rudder, as you see, Billy; nevertheless we
managed to keep her goin' with the one oar up to this time, and no
doubt," said Mr Jones with a grin, "we'll manage to keep her goin' till
we're picked up and carried safe into port."

Billy's eyes had opened very wide and very round as Mr Jones's
description proceeded; gradually, as his surprise increased, his mouth
also opened and elongated, but he said never a word, though he breathed
hard.

"Now, Billy, my boy," pursued Mr Jones, "I tell 'ee all this, of
course, in strict confidence. The Skylark, you must know, was loaded
with a valuable cargo of fine herrings, worth about 200 pounds. There
was 780 barrels of 'em, and 800 boxes. The brig was worth 100 pounds,
so the whole affair was valued at 300 pounds sterling."

"You don't mean to tell me," said Billy, catching his breath, "that
there warn't never no such a wessel as the Skylark?"

"Never that I know of," replied Jones with a smile, "except in my brain,
and on the books o' several insurance companies."

Billy's eyes and mouth grew visibly rounder, but he said nothing more,
and Mr Jones, renewing his quid, went on--

"Well, my lad, before this here Skylark left the port of London for
Cherbourg, I insured her in no fewer than five insurance Companies.
You'll understand that that ain't regular, my boy, but at each office I
said that the vessel was not insured in any other, and they believed me.
You must know that a good deal of business is done by these Companies
in good faith, which gives a chance to smart fellows like me and you to
turn an honest penny, d'ye see? They are pretty soft, luckily."

Mr Jones happened to be mistaken in this opinion, as the sequel will
show, but Billy believed him at the time, and wondered that they were
"so green."

"Yes," continued Jones, counting on his fingers, "I'm in for 300 pounds
with the _Advance_ Company, and 300 pounds with the _Tied Harbours_
Company, and 225 pounds with the _Home and Abroad_ Company, and 200
pounds with the _Submarine_ Company, and 300 pounds with the
_Friend-in-need_ Company--the whole makin' a snug little sum of 1325
pounds. `In for a penny, in for a pound,' is my motto, you see; so,
lad, you and I shall make our fortunes, if all goes well, and you only
continue game and clever."

This last r