ny?"

"God in Heaven! no disrespect, Mynheer;--the animal is a bear, as you
see; he is very tame, even with strangers. He belongs to me. I have
had him since he was three months old. It was all a mistake. The mate,
Mynheer Hillebrant, put him in the cabin, that he might be out of the
way while the duty was carrying on, and he quite forgot that he was
here. I am very sorry, Mynheer Von Stroom; but he will not come here
again, unless you wish to play with him."

"Play with him! I! supercargo to the Company, play with a bear!
Mynheer Kloots, the animal must be thrown overboard immediately."

"Nay, nay; I cannot throw overboard an animal that I hold in much
affection, Mynheer Von Stroom; but he shall not trouble you."

"Then, Captain Kloots, you will have to deal with the Company, to whom I
shall represent this affair. Your charter will be cancelled, and your
freight-money will be forfeited."

Kloots was, like most Dutchmen, not a little obstinate, and this
imperative behaviour on the part of the supercargo raised his bile.
"There is nothing in the charter that prevents my having an animal on
board," replied Kloots.

"By the regulations of the Company," replied Von Stroom, falling back in
his chair with an important air, and crossing his thin legs, "you are
required to receive on board strange and curious animals, sent home by
the governors and factors to be presented to crowned heads,--such as
lions, tigers, elephants, and other productions of the East;--but in no
instance is it permitted to the commanders of chartered ships to receive
on board, on their own account, animals of any description, which must
be considered under the head and offence of private trading."

"My bear is not for sale, Mynheer Von Stroom."

"It must immediately be sent out of the ship, Mynheer Kloots. I order
you to send it away,--on your peril to refuse."

"Then we will drop the anchor again, Mynheer Von Stroom, and send on
shore to head-quarters to decide the point. If the Company insists that
the brute be put on shore, be it so; but recollect, Mynheer Von Stroom,
we shall lose the protection of the fleet, and have to sail alone.
Shall I drop the anchor, Mynheer?"

This observation softened down the pertinacity of the supercargo: he had
no wish to sail alone, and the fear of this contingency was more
powerful than the fear of the bear.

"Mynheer Kloots, I will not be too severe; if the animal is chained, so
that it does not a