instead of a side coat-pocket, which was perfectly true.

"By the way," he said; "you must let me take that beloved satchel after
breakfast, so that I can get the strap sewn up for you."

It came into my mind to look blank at this. I stammered as I said that I
didn't mind the straps being cut, because there was a wire heart to the
leather which would hold till we got to England, when I could put on a
new strap for myself.

"Oh, nonsense," he said, serving out some of the cold bacon from the
dish in front of him. "Nonsense. What would your uncle say if you landed
slovenly like that? Besides, now you're at sea you're a sailor. Sailors
don't wear things like that at meals any more than they wear their
hats."

After this, I saw that there was no further chance of retaining the
satchel, so I took it from my neck, but grudgingly, as though I hated
doing so. I heard no more about it till after breakfast, when he made a
sudden playful pounce upon it, as it lay upon the chair beside me, at an
instant when I was quite unprepared to save it.

"Aha," he cried, waving his booty. "Now then. Now."

I knew that he would expect a passionate outcry from me, nor did I
spare it; because I meant him to think that I knew the satchel contained
precious matters.

"No, no," I cried. "Let me have it. I don't want it mended."

"What?" he said. "Not want it mended? It must be mended."

At this I made a sort of playful rush to get it. He dodged away from me,
laughing. I attacked again, playing my part admirably, as I thought,
but taking care not to overdo it. At last, as though fearing to show too
great an anxiety about the thing, I allowed him to keep it. I asked him
if he would be able to sew the leather over the wire heart.

"Why, yes," he said. I could see that he smiled. He was thinking that I
had stopped struggling in order to show him that I set no real value on
the satchel. He was thinking that he saw through my cunning.

"Might I see you sew it up?" I said. "I should like to learn how to sew
up leather."

He thought that this was another sign of there being letters in the
satchel, this wish of mine to be present when the sewing was done.

"Why, yes," he said. "I'll do it here. You shall do it yourself if you
like. I will teach you." So saying, he tossed me an orange from his
pocket. "Eat that," he said, "while I go on deck to take the sights."

He left the cabin, swinging the satchel carelessly in his left hand. I
thought t