e attended to this matter at once, Dave."

"Yes, sir; Captain Folkner never let me attend to it properly, for he
was afraid I would read some of his papers on the desk. He was willing
to sleep six in a bed with redbacks," chuckled Dave.

"Well, I am not, or even two in a bed with such companions. How long
have you been in my room, Dave?" added Christy.

"More than two hours, I think; and I have been mighty busy too."

"Did you hear me when I came into the cabin?"

"No, sir, I did not; but I heard you talking with somebody a while ago."

"What did I say to the other person?"

"I don't know, sir; I could not make out a word, and I didn't stop in my
work to listen. I have been very busy, Captain Passford," answered Dave,
beginning to think he had been doing something that was not altogether
regular.

"Don't you know what we were talking about, Dave?"

"No, sir; I did not make out a single word you said," protested the
steward, really troubled to find that he had done something wrong,
though he had not the least idea what it was. "I did not mean to do
anything out of the way, Captain Passford."

"I have no fault to find this time, Dave."

"I should hope not, sir," added Dave, looking as solemn as a sleepy owl.
"I would jump overboard before I would offend you, Massa Christy."

"You need not jump overboard just yet," replied the captain, with a
pleasant smile, intended to remove the fears of the steward. "But I want
to make a new rule for you, Dave."

"Thank you, sir; if you sit up nights to make rules for me, I will obey
all of them; and I would give you the whole State of Florida before I
would break one of them on purpose, Massa Christy."

"Massa Christy!" exclaimed the captain, laughing.

"Massa Captain Passford!" shouted Dave, hastening to correct his
over-familiarity.

"I don't object to your calling me Christy when we are alone, for I look
upon you as my friend, and I have tried to treat you as a gentleman,
though you are a subordinate. But are you going to be a nigger again,
and call white men 'Massa?' I told you not to use that word."

"I done forget it when I got excited because I was afraid I had offended
you," pleaded the steward.

"Your education is vastly superior to most people of your class, and you
should not belittle yourself. This is my cabin; and I shall sometimes
have occasion to talk confidentially with my officers. Do you understand
what I mean, Dave?"

"Perfectly, Captain Passfo