nute later a shout went up from the
other craft as she took in sail and bore slowly down upon them. Then a
small boat put off to the buoy, and the Mary Ann was slowly warped into
the place she had left ten hours before.

But while all this was going on, she was boarded by her captain and
mate. They were met by Captain Bing, supported by his mate, who had
hastily pushed off from the Smiling Jane to the assistance of his chief.
In the two leading features before mentioned he was not unlike the
mate of the Mary Ann, and much stress was laid upon this fact by the
unfortunate Bing in his explanation. So much so, in fact, that both
the mates got restless; the skipper, who was a plain man, and given to
calling a spade a spade, using the word "pimply" with what seemed to
them unnecessary iteration.

It is possible that the interview might have lasted for hours had not
Bing suddenly changed his tactics and begun to throw out dark hints
about standing a dinner ashore, and settling it over a friendly
glass. The face of the Mary Ann's captain began to clear, and, as Bing
proceeded from generalities to details, a soft smile played over his
expressive features. It was reflected in the faces of the mates, who by
these means showed clearly that they understood the table was to be laid
for four.

At this happy turn of affairs Bing himself smiled, and a little while
later a ship's boat containing four boon companions put off from the
Mary Ann and made for the shore. Of what afterwards ensued there is
no distinct record, beyond what may be gleaned from the fact that the
quartette turned up at midnight arm-in-arm, and affectionately refused
to be separated--even to enter the ship's boat, which was waiting for
them. The sailors were at first rather nonplussed, but by dint of
much coaxing and argument broke up the party, and rowing them to their
respective vessels, put them carefully to bed.

CONTRABAND OF WAR

A small but strong lamp was burning in the fo'c'sle of the schooner
Greyhound, by the light of which a middle-aged seaman of sedate
appearance sat crocheting an antimacassar. Two other men were snoring
with deep content in their bunks, while a small, bright-eyed boy sat up
in his, reading adventurous fiction.

"Here comes old Dan," said the man with the anti-macassar warningly, as
a pair of sea boots appeared at the top of the companion-ladder; "better
not let him see you with that paper, Billee."

The boy thrust it b