e as
he drew near, "did you catch the rogues?"

"No, mother, I could not find the least trace of them," he answered
gravely. Then, turning to the elder Mr. Lilburn: "Cousin Ronald," he
asked, "do you think you would know them if you were to see them?"

"I know them, cousin captain!" exclaimed the old gentleman in well-feigned
astonishment. "Can it be possible you mean to insinuate that I am the
associate of beggars and thieves?"

"I mean no offence, sir," returned the captain with a twinkle of fun in
his eye, "but it sometimes happens that a very honest and honorable man
may be well acquainted with the appearance of some dastardly villain."

"I'm no sich a character as that," snarled a rough voice that seemingly
came from a part of the deck in Mr. Lilburn's rear, and sounded very much
like the one which had demanded some supper a short time before, "an' I
hope it isn't me you're ameanin', fer I'm as honest an' decent a man as
any in this crowd, ef I do say it, that shouldn't."

"Who is that man? I couldn't see him the other time, and I can't see him
now," exclaimed little Elsie, gazing round in wide-eyed wonder; for she
had never quite understood Cousin Ronald's performances, and was much
puzzled to comprehend all that was now being done and said.

"I say, capting," cried another strange voice, it also coming apparently
from an invisible speaker, "why upon airth don't you put that impident
critter off the boat? I'd do it in a jiffy if 'twas me."

"You have my permission to do so, sir," returned the captain, "but perhaps
he will go presently of his own accord."

"Hollo!" shouted a strange voice that seemed to come from the water near
at hand, and was followed immediately by the dip of an oar, "I say, what's
the matter up there on that deck? If I was capting o' that yacht, there
shouldn't be no such goings on aboard it."

"The impudence of the fellow!" exclaimed Lucilla, forgetting for the
moment the presence of two ventriloquists, and, springing up, she was
about to rush to the side of the vessel to get a sight of the boatman; but
her father, turning toward her with a smile, laid a detaining hand on her
arm, while at the same time he called out in good-humored tones:

"Suppose you board us then, sir, and show what you can do."

"Humph!" snarled the voice that seemed so near at hand, "you'd better try
it, old feller, whomsoever you be, but I bet you'll find me an' Joe here
more'n a match fer you."

"Oh, Bill,