spinning a yarn it's as well to spin a good
one," answered Desmond.

"To my mind a joke's a joke, and a lie's a lie," observed Tom.
"Although it would be very good fun to quiz old Scrofton, we certainly
should not tell him what is not the truth, and I won't vote for anything
of the sort."

"Nor will I," observed Gordon, "and after all the adventures we have
been preserved from, it's time that we should knock off our midshipmen's
tricks. Where should we have been if my cousin Murray hadn't come in at
the moment he did, and so bravely captured the fleet? We should to a
certainty have been shot, as was the poor colonel."

"Hush!" said Tom, pointing to Miss O'Regan, "she may hear us." Paddy
Desmond looked rather vexed. "I don't consider humbugging an old bo'sun
telling a lie, as you choose to call it," he said, turning away.

"Truth is truth, Paddy, though," answered Tom; "I didn't mean to offend
you, and I dare say we shall get a rise out of old Scrofton without
descending to falsehood." Paddy's anger was as usual quickly appeased,
and he joined in the hearty laughter which "Master Spider" produced, as
at that moment he came hopping aft rigged in a white shirt with blue
turn-down collar, white trousers, a straw hat secured to the top of his
head, and a wooden cutlass made fast to one of his paws, and which, in
his efforts to free himself from it, he appeared to be flourishing about
as if engaged in mortal combat.

"There!" exclaimed Paddy, "if he didn't board the Dons he shows that he
would have done so if we had run them alongside, and he would precious
soon have driven them overboard."

Even Stella could not help indulging in a smile such as had not for a
long time lighted up her countenance, while Polly clapped her hands, and
shrieked with laughter.

Gradually the fortifications and buildings of Port Royal and the long
line of the Palisades appeared in sight, and the brig passing close
round the works of Fort Charles steered in and anchored a short distance
from the frigate. Blue Peter was flying from the mastheads of both
ships, a signal that they were about to put to sea, so there was no time
to be lost. Higson ordered a boat to be lowered, and leaving the brig
in charge of Needham, accompanied by the three midshipmen, pulled
alongside the frigate. Stella naturally preferred remaining on board
the brig until she could be conveyed to Kingston.

Captain Hemming was on shore, but Mr Cherry and Jack Roger