stewards, in the quantity of the
well-cooked food he causes to be placed before us."

"We get through dinner about seven o'clock. I see that the accomplished
chief steward is standing at the door," continued Louis. "Now, Mr.
Sage, would it be possible and convenient for you to have another
dinner on the table, say at eight o'clock, an hour after the first feast
had been finished?"

"Quite possible, and even convenient; the only persons to complain of
such an arrangement would be the cooks and stewards," replied Mr. Sage.

"Captain Ringgold, might I so far presume upon any influence I may have
with you as the owner of the Guardian-Mother to request you to order a
second dinner to be served at eight in the evening, beginning, say, with
to-morrow evening?" asked the young millionaire, looking as serious as
though he was about to preach a sermon, though the party were generally
laughing.

"As I have always told you, I take my orders from the owner; and if you
desire such a dinner, I shall certainly give Mr. Sage an order to that
effect," replied the commander.

"But who is to eat the dinner after it is provided, an hour after the
passengers have gorged themselves at the table?" demanded Dr. Hawkes.
"Is this a conspiracy to make more work for the surgeon?"

"Not at all," protested Louis. "It is to give the gentlemen who question
so closely an opportunity to have an abundance of a good thing."

"But we could not eat the dinner," said Uncle Moses. "We are not hogs."

"Oh, you are not!" chuckled the owner.

"But what has all this to do with hunting and exploring in Borneo?"
inquired Mr. Woolridge.

"Well, sir, after we had taken a full dinner in Borneo, Uncle Moses and
the commander ask us why we did not eat another dinner immediately on
the top of it, as I observe that they are not disposed to do on board of
the ship," returned Louis.

Some of the party had penetrated to the conclusion of Louis's argument,
but most of them did not see the point of his illustration till he made
his last remark; then Mr. Woolridge began to clap his hands, and the
whole company applauded vigorously.

"I suppose the interpretation of the whole matter is, that the hunters
in Borneo were gorged with hunting," said Captain Ringgold; "and that
when they stipulated for three weeks of the sport, they overdid the
matter."

"That was precisely the situation, Mr. Commander; and if you had been
with us on the waters of Padang Lake, you coul