"The wind's about nor'-west, Captain Chinks," said Monkey, crawling
into the cabin from the cook-room.

"It hasn't changed, then," added the visitor, vexed at the return of the
Darwinian, who seated himself near Bobtail, intent upon hearing the rest
of the conversation.

"No, sir, not a bit; it's been nor'-west all day, and I don't believe
its goin' to change afore night."

"I say, Monkey, I want some fish for breakfast. If you will catch me two
or three, and dress them, I'll make it all right with you."

Monkey did not like to lose any of the conversation about the boat; but
he reluctantly went on deck in the hope of making a trifle by the job.

"I want you to answer my question squarely, Bobtail," continued Captain
Chinks, returning vigorously to the charge, so vigorously that the
skipper was almost confirmed in his suspicion connecting his visitor
with the contraband cargo.

"I don't say there was or was not any cargo in her," replied Bobtail.

"But I want you to say," persisted the captain, sharply and sternly.

"Do you own this yacht, Captain Chinks?"

"I don't say whether I own her or not."

"And I don't say whether there was any cargo in her or not."

"What do you mean, Bobtail?"

"That depends upon what you mean, Captain Chinks."

"I don't understand you, Bobtail," said the visitor, struggling to
suppress his anger.

"That's just my trouble; I don't understand you," laughed the skipper.
"I reckon we don't understand each other at all."

"I asked you a question, Bobtail, and I want an answer," added the
captain, bringing his fist down upon the table-leaf, whose mysterious
mechanism he had by this time fully mastered.

"I asked you a question, Captain Chinks, and _I_ want an answer,"
replied Bobtail.

"I don't want any of your impudence, and I won't take any of it."

"I didn't mean to be impudent, sir."

"But you talk to me just as though I was a boy like yourself. Now,
answer my question."

"I hope you will excuse me, sir, when I say I can't answer it. I mean to
be respectful, sir."

"You can answer it, Bobtail."

"I mean that, for certain reasons, I must decline to answer it."

"You must, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"I didn't think this of you, Bobtail. This morning I got you out of a
bad scrape. If I hadn't done so, you would have been taken up for
stealing that letter, which contained five hundred dollars. Now, you go
back on me the same day," added the captain, more gently.

"I do