, Jan Steenbock only remained, the
latter telling us later on, when we all compared notes, that, after
looking for the skipper over the cliff, where he at first believed him
to have fallen, he finally traced him into the cave.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

A WARNING SHOCK.

"Wa-all, I'm jiggered!" ejaculated Hiram, having recourse to his usual
favourite expression when startled or surprised at anything, as the
skipper, after evading Jan Steenbock's pursuit, darted out of the cave
and appeared on the scene, destroying the harmony of our happy meeting
with Sam. "Keep yer haar on, cap, an' don't make a muss about nuthin'!"

Captain Snaggs, in response to this, made a gesture as if he were going
to strike him.

"Ye durned rep-tile!" he yelled out. "I'll soon knock the sass out o'
ye; I will so, by thunder!"

"No, ye don't, cap; no, ye don't," said Hiram good-humouredly, putting
up his fists to guard himself, but not doing so offensively. "I guess
two ken play at thet game, I reckon, an' ye'd best let me bide; fur, I'm
a quiet coon when ye stroke me down the right way, but a reg'lar
screamer when I'm riled, an' mighty risky to handle, sirree, ez ye ken
bet yer bottom dollar!"

"Jee-rusalem--this air rank mutiny!" exclaimed the skipper, starting
back. "Would ye hit me, yer own cap'en?"

"No, cap; I don't mean fur to go ez fur ez thet,"--replied the other,
lowering his fists, but keeping his eye steadily on Captain Snaggs, the
two looking at each other straight up and down--"not if yer doesn't lay
hands on me; but, if yer dew, why, I reckon I'll hev to take my own
part, fur I ain't a-goin' to be knocked about by no man, cap'en or no
cap'en, ez we're now ashore an' this air a free country!"

"Snakes an' alligators, this air a rum state o' things!" cried the
skipper, sobering down a bit at this reply, as well as awed by Hiram's
steadfast manner. "But, I don't kinder wish to be at loggerheads with
ye, my man, fur ye hev ben a good seaman right through the vy'ge, an I
ken pass over yer sass, ez I don't think ye means any disrespect."

"Nary a cent, cap," agreed Hiram to this; "nary a cent o' thet."

"But ez fur thet durned nigger thaar," continued the skipper, foaming up
with passion again on seeing Sam and Tom grinning together at his
backing down so mildly before Hiram's resolute attitude, neither of
them, nor any of us indeed, recognising that he was in a state of
delirium, "I'll hev him an' thet scoundrel of a carp