re a story-teller, as well.
Stuart, scenting a story which he could send to the paper from Kingston,
put half-a-crown where he thought it would do most good, namely, in the
steward's palm and heard the strange (and absolutely true and authentic)
story of the shark's papers.

"Yes, Sah," he began, "I know jes' how that was, 'cause my gran'pap, he
was a porter in de Jamaica Institute, an' when I was a small shaver I
used to go wid him in the mornin's when he was sweepin' up, and I used
to help him dust de cases. Yes, Sah. Bime by, when I got big enough to
read, I got a lot o' my eddication from dose cases, yes, Sah!

"This hyar story begins dis way. On July 3, 1799--I remember de dates
persackly--a brig, called de _Nancy_, lef' Baltimore for Curacao. Her
owners were Germans, but 'Merican citizens, yes, Sah. Her cargo was
s'posed to be dry goods, provisions an' lumber, but dere was a good deal
more aboard her, guns, powder an' what they call contraband, ef you know
jes' what that is. I don't rightly."

"I do," agreed Stuart. "Go ahead."

"Well, Sah, dis hyar brig _Nancy_, havin' stopped at Port-au-Prince,
started on down de coast, when, strikin' a heavy blow, she los' her
maintopmast. She was makin' for a little island, not far 'way, to make
some repairs, when she was captured by H.M.S. _Sparrow_, a cutter
belongin' to H.M.S. _Abergavenny_, de British flagship stationed at Port
Royal. De _Sparrow_ was commanded by Lieutenant Hugh Wylie, and dis hyar
Wylie sent her in with anoder prize, a Spanish one, to Port Royal. So,
naterally, Wylie brings a suit for salvage against de _Nancy_, bein' an
enemy vessel."

"But where does the shark come in?" queried Stuart, growing impatient.

"Jes' you wait a minute, Sah!" the negro responded, "I bring um in de
shark pretty quick. De owners of de _Nancy_, dey come to court an' show
papers that de _Nancy_ never was no 'Merican ship at all, an' dat
Lieutenant Wylie, he make one great big mistake in capturin' dis hyar
brig.

"But, what you t'ink, Sah? Right at dat moment, up steps in de
court-room, Lieutenant Fitton, of H.M.S. _Ferret_, another cutter
belongin' to the _Abergavenny_ an' hands the judge some papers.

"'Your Honor,' he says, 'these are the true papers of the brig _Nancy_.
Those you have before you are false.'

"'Where did you find these papers?' ask de judge.

"'In the belly of a shark, My Lord,' answers Lieutenant Fitton, clear
an' loud.

"For de sake, Sah, dem Ge