ook
stolidly washing dishes in the galley.

Some hours later while Boyd was sleeping off his potations and Hicks
and Owen were deep in conference on deck, Pauline slipped down into the
galley ostensibly to explain the rudiments of the culinary art to the
cook.

"The trouble is you have no respect for a potato, Filipo. You slash
the poor thing to pieces, and then you boil it only long enough to hurt
its feelings."

"Peel potato nice, good," he apologized. "Then peel 'um pirate.
Filipo want to peel pirate; boil him just half-hurt him feelings.
That's how."

"Oh, I see. But I think you do Mr. Boyd a great injustice, Filipo. He
has consented to come all the way from New York with us and take
command of our boat and find the buried treasure, and--"

"Buried potatoes," snapped Filipo with a sudden reversion to his
unimpaired English.

"Well, at least you understand about tomorrow's breakfast now, don't
you?"

"Yes, mem. Boil 'um eggs to death; no peel 'um."

"No, no, no, Filipo--boil them two minutes and a half. Here, take my
watch and go by that. You must be very careful of it, Filipo."

"Yes, mem; boil 'um long time; stick fork in, see when soft."

"No!"

Pauline caught the watch from him. "You don't boil the watch at all,
Filipo. You boil the eggs and watch the watch. Can you tell time,
Filipo?"

"Yes, Mem."

"How long is an hour? Peel potatoes--hour is ver' ver' long. Talk
to ship's lady--whist!--hour is no time," answered Filipo with
upcast hands.

Again she eyed him through her long lashes a little askance. He was
rather subtle, this half-breed cook, for one who could not even boil an
egg.

"I will let you have the watch, Filipo," she said gravely, "but you
must give it back to me. It is one of the most precious things I have.
It was given to me by--Filipo, were you ever in love with a girl?"

"Su-u-ure, mem!" replied the cook with sudden enthusiasm. "Love
daughter big American--no love me. Big American daughter start from
Nassau--get buried treasure--not!"

"Filipo, where do you get all your New York slang?"

"Big American daughter, she sling slang-good," said Filipo.

"Why did you fall in love with her?"

"Nice girl--no eat much, no scold cook, no talk about potatoes--
just big fool 'bout buried treasure."

"What do you think love is?"

"Love-huh!" grunted the cook. "I like girl; girl no like me. Chase
all 'round world--no good."

"That watch was given to me by the