together, and then look hungry; but I suppose it is his
natur' to. You don't think, then, gents, as it's likely that he's
nobbled your rifle?"

"Well, I don't know," said Mark. "I hope not."

"So do I, sir," said Dan dreamily. "You see, it makes one feel
uncomfortable about his 'bacco box and his knife. But oh, no, sir, I
hope not," continued the sailor slowly. "It's true he's a bit too full
of that jibber jabber of his as you calls language, but he's getting to
talk English now, and since he's been what Mr Dean there calls more
civilised I've begun to take to him a bit more as a mate. Oh, no, sir,
he wouldn't collar your rifle; an' then as to his sneaking a bit of
wittles sometimes, it arn't honest, I know, but he wouldn't take your
gun, sir. Why, I put it to you; what good would it be to he? He could
not eat that."

"No," said Dean, "but I have heard of savages getting hold of anything
in the shape of a tube to turn into a pipe for smoking."

"Do they now, sir?" said Buck thoughtfully. "But of course he wouldn't
want the stock, and it's a double gun. That'd be rather a 'spensive
pipe, Dan, mate, for he'd have to have two bowls."

"Couldn't he stop up one barrel?"

"Here, I wish you two fellows would leave off chattering," cried Mark.

"Beg pardon, sir," said Buck, rather indignantly. "But it was Mr Dean
who started that idea about the pipe."

"Oh, bother! Never mind; I want my rifle."

"That's right, sir; of course you do."

"And I am going to have it found."

"That's right, sir, too. Well, I hope you are satisfied, sir, that it
was neither me nor Dan here as took it?"

"Of course I am."

"Then what about old Brown?"

"Oh, no!" cried the boys, in a breath.

"Look here, sir," said Buck, drawing himself up to his full height and
seeming to swell out with some big idea; "it couldn't have been neither
Peter Dance nor Bob Bacon, 'cause they have got guns to use, and they
both tells us lots of times that a gun has been a sort of plaything to
them ever since they was babbies."

"Of course," said Mark huffily. "There you go, again, telling us what
we know."

Buck hit himself a sharp slap in the mouth as much as much as to say,
"I've done"; and the little sailor grinned and said, "And then about old
Mak and little Pig: you can't sarch them, because there's nothing to
sarch."

"Ah!" cried Mark. "I had forgotten all about that. I know now."

"Hooroar!" said Dan. "He knows now! Found ou