e pick o' the (crimson) island, an' it won't cost yer
more'n a few (unprintable) dollars. I'm a (bad word) big man 'ere among
the (adjective) natives."

Hung looked up at him stolidly with half-closed eyes. Then he took the
pipe out of his mouth and said in a deadly cold voice--

"You palally liar, Spleetoo."

*****

He slouched aft again presently, and asked the mate, in an amiable tone
of voice, if he had "any (ruddy) noospapers from Sydney."

"What the devil do _you_ want newspapers for?" inquired Hayes, turning
round suddenly in his deck-chair, "you can't read, Spreetoo."

"Can't read, eh?" and his red-rimmed, lashless eyes simulated intense
indignation. "Wot about that 'ere (red) bishop at Manilla, as wanted
me to chuck up me (scarlet) billet on the _Spreetoo S antoo_ and travel
through the (carnaged) Carryline Grewp as 's (sanguinary) sekketerry?
'Cos why? 'Cos there ain't any (blank) man atween 'ere an' 'ell as can
talk the warious lingoes like me."

"Here," said the mate, giving him two or three old Maoriland
newspapers--"here's some Auckland papers. Know anybody there?"

"No," he answered, promptly, "not a soul, but he knowed Sydney well.
Larst time I wos there I sold old Bobby Towns L6,000 worth of oil--a
bloomin' shipful. I got drunk, an' a (blank) policeman went through me
in the cell and took the whole blessed lot outer me (scarlet) pocket."
(Nine bad words omitted.)

"Bank notes?" queried Bully.

"No, sov'reigns--(gory) sov'reigns."

*****

He asked us if we had seen any men-o'-war about lately, and said that
the captain of H.M.S. -------- had wanted to marry his daughter, but
he wouldn't let her marry no man-o'-war cove after the way that ------
Wardell had treated him. He thought he would go back to Sydney again for
a spell. His brother had a flaming fine billet there.

The Cook of the "Spreetoo Santoo" 243

"What is he?" asked Hayes.

"'E's a (blessed) Soopreme Court Judge, wears a (gory) wig big enough
to make chafin' gear for a (crimson) fleet o' ships; 'e lives at Guvment
'Ouse, and Vs rollin' in money an' drinks like a (carmine) fish. I
thought I might see somethin' about the ------ in a (blank) Sydney
noospaper. I'll come in for all his (ensanguined) money when 'e dies."

Bully gave him a bottle of gin after a while. Then he hurriedly bade us
farewell and went ashore.

LUPTON'S GUEST: A MEMORY OF THE EASTERN PACIFIC

A long sweeping curve of coast, fringed with tall plu