inth of the Dangerous
Archipelago. "I wish it was night, and I could put her about right now;
we're losing time and easting. Well, we'll do our best. And if we don't
fetch Peru, we'll bring up to Ecuador. All one, I guess. Depreciated
dollars down, and no questions asked. A remarkable fine institootion,
the South American don."

Tahiti was already some way astern, the Diadem rising from among broken
mountains--Eimeo was already close aboard, and stood black and strange
against the golden splendour of the west--when the captain took his
departure from the two islands, and the patent log was set.

Some twenty minutes later, Sally Day, who was continually leaving the
wheel to peer in at the cabin clock, announced in a shrill cry "Fo'
bell," and the cook was to be seen carrying the soup into the cabin.

"I guess I'll sit down and have a pick with you," said Davis to Herrick.
"By the time I've done it'll be dark, and we'll clap the hooker on the
wind for South America."

In the cabin at one corner of the table, immediately below the lamp, and
on the lee side of a bottle of champagne, sat Huish.

"What's this? Where did that come from?" asked the captain.

"It's fizz, and it came from the after-'old, if you want to know," said
Huish, and drained his mug.

"This'll never do," exclaimed Davis, the merchant seaman's horror of
breaking into cargo showing incongruously forth on board that stolen
ship. "There was never any good came of games like that."

"You byby!" said Huish. "A fellow would think (to 'ear him) we were on
the square! And look 'ere, you've put this job up 'ansomely for me,
'aven't you? I'm to go on deck and steer, while you two sit and guzzle,
and I'm to go by a nickname, and got to call you 'sir' and 'mister.'
Well, you look here, my bloke: I'll have fizz _ad lib._, or it won't
wash. I tell you that. And you know mighty well, you ain't got any
man-of-war to signal now."

Davis was staggered. "I'd give fifty dollars this had never happened,"
he said weakly.

"Well, it _'as_ 'appened, you see," returned Huish. "Try some; it's
devilish good."

The Rubicon was crossed without another struggle. The captain filled a
mug and drank.

"I wish it was beer," he said with a sigh. "But there's no denying it's
the genuine stuff and cheap at the money. Now, Huish, you clear out and
take your wheel."

The little wretch had gained a point, and he was gay. "Ay, ay, sir,"
said he, and left the others to their meal.