s discipline," he said. "He ware capting o' this here ship,
an' there ware no way to do but obey his orders. No, sir, discipline is
discipline, an' the sooner ye get it through your heads, the better."

"But he isn't captain any longer," I said.

"Well, I don't know about that," said Trunnell. "If he ain't a-comin'
back, he ain't capting, sure. But ye can't tell nothin' about it. He may
come aboard agin in a little while an' want to know why we didn't wait
dinner for him."

"He sho' would take his trunk," said Gunning, "an' dat's a fact."

"Why would he?" asked Mrs. Sackett.

"'Cause he take good care o' dat trunk, ma'm. He sleep wid one eye on it
an' his gun handy. I come near gettin' killed onct when I come into de
cabin, suddin' like, while he was at work ober de things inside."

"For Heaven's sake, let's look at it," said Mrs. Sackett.

"'Tis th' best thing we cud do," said Chips. "'Tis no less than solid
gold he stowed in it. Faith, it's as heavy as th' main yard."

Mrs. Sackett led the way to the captain's room, and Trunnell made no
farther resistance. She opened the door, and we crowded inside. There lay
the trunk on the floor or deck ahead of us.

"Try yer hand at th' liftin' av th' thing," said Chips to me.

I reached down and took hold of the handle at the side. Pulling heavily,
I lifted with all my power. The trunk remained stationary.

"Dere's nothin' but gold in dat thing, sho'," said Gunning.

"Well, for Heaven's sake! why don't some one open it?" cried Jennie.

"An' have him a-comin' back aboard, a-wantin' to know who had been at it,
hey?" said Trunnell. "I didn't think ye ware that kind o' missy."

"Nonsense!" I said. "He isn't coming back. Even if he is, it won't hurt
to lift it, will it?"

"No, I don't know as it will, only it might upset them charts,"
said Trunnell.

"Try it," I said. "See if it's gold. It'll clink when you shake
it, sure."

The little giant stooped and gave a grunt of disdain. "I reckon there
ain't nothin' that size I can't lift," said he, in a superior tone, which
was not lost on the women. Trunnell seldom bragged, and we crowded
around, looking for quick results.

"A little bit o' trunk a-breakin' the backs o' a pair o' fellows as has
the impudence to say they are men an' question the discipline o' the
ship!" he said, with a loud grunt of disgust. "Stan' clear an' let a man
have a chanst. If it's gold, an' ye're right, it'll rattle an' jingle
fast enough; an' I