over first one fence and then
another till I got out into a lane, at the bottom of which was a street;
and then I went into one after the other, looking like a fellow begging,
till I knew where I was, and got down at last to the hotel."

"And well done too!" cried Gunson, clapping him on the shoulder. "All
to get me a new pipe, eh?"

"Yes; and I'll get you another too some day."

"I knew you wouldn't leave me in the lurch, Esau," I whispered; and then
I started, for the master brought down his hand with a heavy slap on his
knee.

"That was a good 'un," he cried. "There's too many o' them sort in
'Frisco, and it gives the place a bad name. I don't wish that loafer
any harm, but I hope you've killed him."

"I hope not," I said, fervently.

"Best thing as could happen to him, my lad," said the man. "You see
he's a regular bad 'un now, and he'd go on getting worse and worse, so
the kindest thing your mate could do was to finish him off. But he
arn't done it. Them sort's as hard as lobsters. Take a deal o' licking
to get through the rind."

"Hah!" ejaculated Gunson just then.

"What's matter?"

"She is leaving us behind," said Gunson, as he looked sadly out to sea.

"Now she arn't," said the master; "and I arn't going to let her. Her
skipper and me's had many a argyment together 'bout his craft, and he's
precious fond o' jeering and fleering at me about my bit of a cutter,
and thinks he can sail twiced as fast. I'm going tew show him he
can't."

"Do you think you can overtake him then?" I cried eagerly.

"Dunno about overtake, my lad, but I'm going to overhaul him. Here,
Zeke, come and lay hold of this here tiller. You keep her full. Elim,
you and me's going to get up that forsle. I'm going tew put yew chaps
aboard o' that schooner if I sail on for a week."

"Without provisions?" said Gunson, sadly.

"Who says 'thout provisions," retorted the man. "There's a locker
forrard and there's a locker aft, for we never know how long we may be
getting back when we're out fishing. I say I'm going to put you aboard
that there schooner for the dollars as we 'greed on first, and if I
don't, why I'm more of a Dutchman than lots o' them as comes from the
east to set up business in 'Frisco. There!"

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

EMULATING THE CORNISHMEN.

Unwittingly we had made friends with the master of the little fishing
craft and his men; and as we sat watching them in the moonlight, and
looking away at