voice, "I declare
you'll clean me out before long. I do believe you've come on board for
the sake of squeezing me dry, as Jacob says."

"As Jacob says!" cries the other, with affected indignation and
astonishment. "I wish, sir, that conceited young puppy had never set
foot on this vessel. What does he know of the sort of aversions as are
suited to a gentleman of your birth and retrospects?"

"Juniper," replies the other, "I think the `aversions,' as you call
them, belong to you and not to me, if I may judge by your aversion for
poor Jacob; and as for `retrospects,' I think the less I say about them
the better."

"Well, sir, I don't know," replies Juniper, huffily; "you may amuse
yourself; sir, with my humble efforts at a superior style of soliloquy;
but I'm sure you're doing me injustice, and allowing yourself to be
bamboozled, if you let yourself be talked over by that canting
hypocrite."

"Steady--steady, my boy!" cries Frank; "you're half-seas over, Juniper,
or you could not say so. Come, hand us the brandy. We'll let Jacob
alone, and drink his health, and the health of all good lads and
lasses."

"As you please, sir," says Juniper, sulkily.

The next morning, when Frank Oldfield appeared on deck, his face and
whole appearance bore the unmistakable marks of last night's excess.
His very breath also told the same miserable tale. As for Juniper,
though he had drunk more cautiously, yet he did not show himself outside
his cabin till the afternoon. The captain had his eye upon him, and
could not help remarking to himself what a look of deadly malice and
venomous baseness pervaded every feature of the villain's face.

"He's up to some mischief more than common, I'll be bound," he said to
himself. "I'll keep a sharp look-out for you, my friend."

A short time after, and Juniper had disappeared, nor did he emerge from
his retreat till the evening. He was then in high spirits, laughing and
chatting with the sailors, and every now and then glancing up at Jacob,
who was walking up and down the poop with Captain Merryweather. At
last, just as Jacob was descending to the main-deck, and had his foot on
the topmost step of the ladder, the vessel lying over under a breeze on
the quarter, Juniper suddenly sprang up the steps in a state of great
excitement, shouting out, "A whale!--a whale!" Every one but the
captain turned suddenly round in the direction to which Juniper was
pointing, Jacob among the number, so