bout your bein' on a sort of v'yage of discovery a'ter your
father, sir."

I said, "Certainly; it was perfectly true."

"Well, sir," said he, "maybe I might be able to help you in your search.
It needs no prophet to tell that you are Captain Collingwood's son,
when a man gets a fair squint at your figure-head, axing your pardon,
sir, for my boldness; and if you'll just give me your word that nothing
I may say shall tell agin me, I'll tell you all I knows about it, and
gladly too; for I sailed with your father, sir, and a kinder skipper or
a better seaman never trod a deck than he was, as I've had good reason
to know."

"_Was_?" exclaimed I, with a sudden sinking of heart.

"And is still, for aught I know, sir; at least I hope so; there's no
reason why he mayn't be still alive," replied the man, fully
understanding all the meaning of my exclamation.

"Thank God for that," replied I fervently. "But why is this strange
pledge required? Surely, fellow, you will not have the temerity to tell
_me_--his son--that he has been the victim of any foul play? If so--"

"Not on my part, sir, I'll take my Bible oath," said he, "What I did I
was _forced_ to do to save my own life. Gladly would I have helped the
skipper if I could; but what can one man do agin a whole ship's crew."

"_Much_, if he have the will," replied I. "I will give no pledge
whatever, beyond this. Tell me your story, and if I find you were
powerless to prevent the evil which I begin to suspect has befallen my
poor father, you have nothing to fear; but if I find that you have in
any way aided--"

"Never, sir. If I could have had my will the skipper would not be
where, I suppose, he is now; but you shall hear all I have to say, and
then judge for yourself whether I could prevent anything that happened
or no."

CHAPTER SIX.

THE FATE OF THE "AMAZON."

The man who, in this unexpected manner, brought me intelligence of my
father, belonged to the crew of one of the visiting captains' boats, and
a word or two of explanation was sufficient to procure the delay in the
boat's departure necessary to permit the fellow to tell his story.

In order to be a little more alone, Bob (who was, in a few words, made
acquainted with the facts of the case), the seaman, and I went down over
the side to the _Water Lily's_ deck, when, as soon as we had comfortably
bestowed ourselves, the man thus began:

"You must know, gentlemen, to commence with, that I was ship