ed the fears which assailed me when the old man leaped
so suddenly into the hold, that one of the officers called out:

"Here, you Bubby, come aboard and show us how to open these
shell-fish!"

"Will one of your men stand by for our line, sir?" I asked, because
the pungy was bobbing around on the small waves ten feet or more from
the ship's side, and I was not minded to take the chances of jumping
for the rail when there was good possibility of landing in the water.

The Britisher said something to the knot of men forward, and several
of them stepped forward, overhanging the rail, while Jerry made ready
to pass one of the small hawsers.

I stopped only long enough to get one of our oyster-knives from the
cuddy, and by that time the Avenger was alongside the ship, rubbing
against the huge fenders which had been swung out.

At the moment there was no thought of fear in my mind because I was
thus venturing into the very jaws of the lion; I had it in mind only
to play my part well, and believed that by showing the gentlemen how
easily the shells might be opened, I would be forwarding our business.

Much to my surprise, when I would have clambered aboard the ship,
whose rail towered many feet above ours, one of the sailors leaned far
over to give me aid when it was not really needed. He grasped both my
hands in a grip as of iron, holding me back when it appeared that he
would pull me aboard, and while I was thus hampered, I heard him
whisper:

"Tell Darius Thorpe to be to the eastward of the Tangiers this night!"

Having thus spoken, he hauled me inboard quickly, disappearing
immediately among the throng of men which literally covered the ship's
deck.

"Well, Bubby, have you gone daft?"

This aroused me to the consciousness that I was playing my part very
badly, and I quickly went to the after-hatchway where was our basket
of oysters around which several officers were standing.

Without speaking I whipped out the oyster-knife, and, using the
combing of the hatch as a bench, set about opening the shells as
rapidly as the most expert could have done.

The gentlemen were so astonished at seeing me do readily what they had
failed at, that I had a good two dozen fat oysters ready for the
eating before any one made an attempt at swallowing them.

From that out, until the basket was emptied, I was kept busy, and
although I searched with my eyes while thus engaged, it was impossible
to single out the sailor who had s