m understood the meaning of the proverbs Higson
was in the habit of quoting. The old mate only laughed; though he had a
colt, to keep the turbulent in order, he seldom used it, treating the
two youngsters with more consideration than he might have done under
other circumstances, out of respect to Rogers and Adair, though they
were under the impression that it was owing to their own merits, and
were apt accordingly to take liberties with him. He behaved to them as
a good-natured bear might towards a couple of playful children whom he
could munch up in a moment.

"I say, Tom, couldn't we be after playing some trick like that the
admiral told us of, which your brother and my uncle Terence played off
on Lieutenant Spry, with Quaco, the monkey," said Gerald, one day to his
messmate, when they were alone together; "it would be mighty good fun."

"I should like to do something of the sort amazingly, but once when Jack
was telling me some of the tricks of his midshipman-days, he gave me a
strong hint not to imitate them, as he would certainly be down upon me,"
answered Tom; "for all he is so good-natured, he can be wonderfully
strict, I can tell you. He was saying that tricks are very well in
their way if they are original and have fun in them, but that those who
play them must look out for the consequences."

"I shouldn't have supposed that of him," said Gerald; "I'm after
thinking now that my uncle Terence would be as ready for any fun as he
ever was in his life."

"Very likely, but he mightn't approve of our indulging in it
notwithstanding," answered Tom; "however, if you can think of anything,
I'm willing enough to lend a hand. We can't play Lieutenant Jennings
such a trick as they did old Spry, because he's too wide awake and
wouldn't stand it; besides, we've no Quaco to dress up in his uniform.
By-the-bye, I hope that we shall be able to get a jolly monkey before
long, at Jamaica or elsewhere. I don't know if they run wild in the
woods there, indeed it might be as well to have a civilised one who
knows how to behave himself, and then I think we might manage to play
old Scrofton, the boatswain, a trick."

"How?" asked Gerald eagerly.

"Don't you know that he has got a notion in his head that men are
descended, or rather, I should say, ascended from apes, which he
declares has been proved by a Lord Monboddo, or some other wiseacre, and
if we had a monkey, we might somehow or other put his theory to the
test, and