he poor fellers a hand up over
the side."

"What ship is this?" I asked, when at length I went up the side and
found myself confronted by a very ordinary-looking individual, attired
in a suit of thin, rusty-looking blue serge, with a peaked cap of the
same material on his head, who extended his hand in cordial welcome to
me.

"The _Indian Queen_, of and from London to Bombay, twenty-three days
out, with passengers and general cargo," he answered.

"Well," said I, "I am exceedingly obliged to you for receiving us; for,
to tell you the truth, after the experiences of last night, I am very
glad to find a good, wholesome ship once more under my feet. Open boats
are all very well in their way, but they are rather ticklish craft in
which to face such a gale as we had last night."

"By the by," he said, "are those boats of yours worth hoisting in?"

"Yes," I said, "they are both very good boats, and it would be a pity to
send them adrift if you can find room for them."

"Oh, I dare say we can do that," he answered. "Besides, the skipper
might have a word or two to say about it if we was to turn 'em adrift.
By the way, Mr--er--"

"Grenvile," I prompted, continuing--"I must apologise for not having
sooner introduced myself. I am senior midshipman of the _Shark_, and
was prize-master of the slaver _Dolores_, which I had instructions to
take into Sierra Leone."

"Just so; thank'e," answered the man. "I was going to say, Mr
Grenvile, that--well, our skipper's a very queer-tempered sort of a
man--he was second mate when we left home--and as like as not he may
kick up a row about my receivin' you aboard--indeed it wouldn't very
greatly surprise me if he was to order you all over the side again; so I
thought I'd just better give ye a hint, so as you may know what to
expect, and how to act."

"Indeed, I am very much obliged to you for your timely warning, Mr ---"
said I.

"Carter's my name--Henry Carter," was the reply. "I'm actin' as chief
mate now, but I was third when we left London."

"I understand," said I. "But this captain of yours--he is an
Englishman, I presume, and I cannot understand the possibility of his
raising any objection to your receiving a party of distressed fellow-
countrymen aboard his ship. And how comes he to be in command, now, if
he was only second when you left home?"

"Well, sir, it's like this," answered Carter, starting to explain. Then
he interrupted himself suddenly, saying:

"