y," muttered the doctor.

"'Most the same," growled the captain. "A boy, the boy, means boy.
What sort of a ship? First, where do you want to go?"

"I don't quite know myself," replied the doctor, "so we will say as you
did, everywhere."

"Right," said the captain. "What for?"

"Why do you ask?" replied the doctor, rather tartly.

"Had four offers. Wouldn't take them."

"Why?" asked the doctor.

"Smuggling contraband."

"Oh, I see," said the doctor quickly. "Well, it's nothing of that
sort."

"When do you sail?"

"As soon as I can get a ship."

"Plenty lying about waiting for cargo. Take your choice."

"That seems to be easier said than done, captain, for I am hard to
please."

"So'm I," said the visitor, staring hard at Rodd, beginning with the
crown of his head and then looking him slowly down where he sat till he
reached the carpet by Rodd's right foot, and then making his eyes cross
over, he began at the toe of the boy's left foot and slowly looked him
up to where he had started at the top of the boy's forehead, where a
tickling sensation had commenced, consequent upon the starting out of a
faint dew of perspiration.

"I'm glad to hear it," said the doctor, "for I want a well-found craft,
new or nearly so, built of the best materials."

"Good; ought to be. What sort?"

"Well, I should like a large schooner, fast and with plenty of room
below."

"Cargo?" grunted the captain.

"No. Provisions, etcetera," said the doctor, who was beginning to feel
annoyed.

"Ho!" came in a grunt, and then after a keen look at Rodd's uncle, he
uttered the one word, "Weepens?"

"Weepens?" said the doctor.

"Yes. Long Tom and small-arms."

"Oh, arms. Yes, I should certainly have one of those big swivel guns
amidships, and a couple of smaller ones, as well as muskets, cutlasses
and boarding pikes."

So far the captain's features seemed as if they had been carved out of
solid mahogany, but now they began to relax; his lips parted, and he
showed a small even set of beautifully white teeth, while his eyes
looked brighter to Rodd and seemed to twinkle; but he remained silent.

"Well," said the doctor, "what are you laughing at?"

He checked the word which had nearly escaped his lips, because he
thought it would be rude, and he did not say grinning.

"Cat," said the man solemnly, and to Rodd's great discomposure he turned
to him and winked.

"Cat?" said the doctor sharply.

"Ay, ay! Out of the