uld tell you stories about them cut-throats
of the sea in these here waters as would make your hair stand on end.
No pirates in the China seas, you say, my joker?"

"I didn't say as there wasn't any. I said as there mightn't ha' been."

"Well, and wot's the difference, I'd like to know?"

"Belay that, and bouse away, old ship, with that yarn o' yours that's
going to fright my hair off. I ain't quite frightened yet, I tell you."

"Wait a minute, then, bo," said the other, who was suddenly called aft
by the officer of the watch to have some order given him for the morning
which had been forgotten; and on his return to the foc's'le Jem was all
attention for him to proceed with his promised yarn about the real
pirates of whom he had spoken, the worthy seaman continuing to express a
strong disbelief in their entity.

"Heave ahead with that 'ere story o' yourn," he said.

"Don't you know, you onbelievin' swab, as how the Singapore mail steamer
was nearly as possible plundered by a whole gang o' them gettin' aboard
of her as make-believe passengers and then setting fire to her and
plundering the cargo, and that this occurred only last year?"

"No, I never heerd tell of it," said Jem.

"Well, I think I've got a noospaper in my ditty-box down below as will
tell you all about it, and then, p'r'aps, you'll feel as if you'd
believe there wos sich things as pirates."

So saying, the boatswain bustled down into the forecastle, and shortly
reappeared above, holding a rather dirty crumpled piece of printed paper
in his hand, which he handed to Jem.

"There," he said, "take that and read for yourself."

The brawny seaman turned it over and over with a solemn face, and then
handed it back to the other.

"I ain't no scholard," he observed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully; "wish
I was, 'twould ha' been pounds in my pocket now if I could read and
write as I once did when I war a little shaver, but I've clean forgot
it. You reel off the yarn as is printed there, Bill; and then I'll tell
you what I think of it."

"All right, then," replied the boatswain, nothing loth to display his
superior attainments. "Here goes for a full and true 'count of a
tremenjuous piretical plot to seize a mail steamer, from a special
despatch of our 'Ong Kong correspondent;" and, holding the dirty scrap
of paper at arm's-length, as if he were somewhat afraid of it, he went
on to read the following extract from it.

"The China papers received by th