e?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't," replied the young man. "He barks and makes a
noise, but he wouldn't bite like that."

"Well, then, we must make the best of it, Brace, for I certainly will
not turn back."

"Then you'll take him?"

"I shall give way to the extent of asking Captain Banes to let him go
with us."

"Don't," said Brace, in a low voice, as he glanced at the American and
saw that he was watching him closely.

"What! not ask him?" said Sir Humphrey. "Why, just now you were in
favour of doing so."

"So I am now, Free," said Brace, drawing his brother to the side, so
that they could be alone; "but I want you to take it entirely upon
yourself. You've chartered the brig; and it is yours. Captain Banes
is, so to speak, under your orders, you being head of this expedition."

"Quite right, Brace," replied Sir Humphrey, nodding his head, and
looking satisfied with his brother's decision.

"I should act at once as if I were fully in command, and make a stern
bargain with this American naturalist that if he comes with us it is, as
he proposed, completely under your orders."

"Exactly," said Sir Humphrey, and the brothers walked back to where
their would-be ally stood waiting patiently, and Captain Banes was
giving vent to his annoyance by growling at both mates in turn, and then
at the men for not being smarter over getting up the cask.

"Captain Banes," said Sir Humphrey.

"Sir to you," growled the captain.

"My brother and I have been discussing this business, and we come to the
conclusion that we cannot under any circumstances return to port."

"O' course not," said the captain, nodding approval.

"But on the other hand we cannot be guilty of so inhuman an act as to
set this gentleman and his servant ashore upon a wild coast, at the risk
of his life."

"Hear, hear!" cried the American, and the captain grunted.

"But, as he has chosen to take the risk and is prepared for an inland
expedition, we decide that he is quite at liberty to join ours and go
with us, on the condition that he follows out my orders as to what is
done."

"Of course--of course," cried the American. "Hear, Mr Skipper?"

"Oh, yes, I hear," said the captain.

"Then that is settled," said Sir Humphrey. "Mr Briscoe, I trust that
in the future we shall be better friends."

"No fear of that, sir," said the American quietly. "Sir Humphrey,
you're a gentleman. Mr Brace, you're another. It's going to be acts
now, not words. I