nterrupted.
"We will empty her ourselves in a brace of shakes. Murdock and Chips,
just jump down into the gig and pass those things out of her. Haul her
close up under the counter, and we will pass you down a rope's end over
the taffrail to sling them to."

"Yes, I guess that'll do the trick," agreed the skipper. "And you, Sam
and Pete," he continued, turning to the two men who still lingered,
"turn-to and unship the lee gangway, ready to run the boat inboard when
she's cleared. We'll stow her, right side up, alongside of the
longboat."

A quarter of an hour later saw the gig hauled inboard and snugly stowed,
after which the _Martha Brown_ was kept away upon her course and the
studdingsails were rehoisted, our boatswain, carpenter, and sailmaker
lending a hand, while Cunningham and I remained aft, chatting with our
new friend. As the last rope was belayed the skipper stepped to the
skylight, peered down through it, and then turned and struck eight
bells. Almost immediately afterward a lad emerged from the cabin
companion, went forward to the little galley, and presently reappeared
bearing a large covered dish in one hand and a capacious coffee-pot in
the other.

"Aha!" exclaimed Brown, smacking his lips in anticipation, "breakfast;
and I guess it smells good. Now I reckon that you 'uns have been upon
pretty short commons this last few days, and'll be in good shape to
enj'y a square meal. I guess you two'll have to mess in the cabin along
o' me; the hands for'ard'll look a'ter the rest of your crowd."

At the skipper's invitation Cunningham and I forthwith followed him
below to an exceeding small but very comfortable cabin, upon the tiny
table of which was set out a quite unexpectedly enticing meal, to which
Brown helped us both with most hospitable liberality. For a little
while we ate and drank in silence; but presently, when we had taken the
keen edge off our appetites, our kindly host asked for details of the
circumstances under which we had come to be knocking about in mid-ocean
in an open boat.

"Waal, I'll be sugared!" he ejaculated, after I had related to him in
detail the incidents connected with the seizure of the _Zenobia_ by her
crew, under the leadership of Bainbridge; "if that don't beat
everything! And you say that the skunk means to set up in business as a
pirate? But is this here barque of yourn armed? Do she mount any guns?
Because, if she don't, how do that crowd of toughs reckon they