dinner,
the latter, led by the monkey, was seen approaching the berth. Nuts and
biscuits were held out. They were easily tempted in. Room was made for
them, and they were regaled to their hearts' content on all the
delicacies of the season which the men could produce.

"We'll have them again, and we'll have a friend to meet them," exclaimed
Jack.

"A bright idea!"

"Who?" was asked.

"Pigeon," said Jack; and so it was settled.

That afternoon Mr Pigeon received a note written on pink scented paper,
to the following effect:--

"The gentlemen of the midshipmen's berth request the pleasure of Mr
Pigeon's company at dinner, to meet two distinguished foreigners, in
every way worthy of his acquaintance and friendship."

Pigeon asked the gun-room officers whether he ought to accept the
invitation.

"Certainly, it will be an insult if you don't," was the answer.

They might possibly have suspected that a joke was brewing, but they
said nothing. The dinner-hour on the next day arrived. The berth was
kept as dark as possible, and when Pigeon presented himself at the door
he was ushered in in due form, and with unusual politeness handed to the
upper end of the berth.

"Dinner!" cried the caterer. "Bear a hand, boy."

The midshipman's boy, who had been standing against the door, grinning
from ear to ear, had to decamp.

"Before the soup comes, Mr Pigeon, let me introduce our other guests--
Senor Don Bruno, who is on your right side, and Monsieur de Querkerie,
whom you will find on your left. Manners makes the man, and as their
manners are unexceptionable, I hope that you will consider them as men,
and treat them, as men should men, with due civility."

The screens by the side of the berth were at this instant withdrawn,
when Pigeon beheld a bear sitting on one side of him, and a monkey on
the other, both dressed with huge shirt-collars, large ties, and broad
ribbons across their breasts. Astonishment, rage, and fear struggled
within for the mastery.

"Don't be alarmed at their looks, my dear sir," said Hemming. "There
are no better behaved gentlemen on board. Allow me to help you to soup.
Rogers, you take care of Monsieur de Querkerie; Thompson, see to Don
Bruno."

This was a necessary caution, for the monkey gave signs that he was
about to thrust his paw into Pigeon's plate, which act would have belied
the assertion just made in his favour, and would certainly not have been
pleasant to the human gues