re chief, and I don't see how, short
of going back again to set him ashore, you could have done anything
else."

"Thank you, captain," said Sir Humphrey. "I did what I thought was best
under the circumstances."

"You did, sir. Squire here--Mr Brace--thought I was going to turn
rusty, I suppose."

"I did," said Brace.

"Yes, but I wasn't. I blaze up a bit when I'm put out, gentlemen, but I
soon settle down into a steady warm glow, and keep within the bars."

"Then there's an end of an awkward episode, captain," said Sir Humphrey.
"I was afraid at one time that we were going to have a tragedy."

"So was I, sir," said the captain sharply. "It's a mercy that
ugly-looking yellow monkey of a chap was not smothered in that cask. My
word! he must be a plucky fellow!"

"Or too stupid to have grasped the danger," said Brace.

The captain nodded.

"Well, you gentlemen," he said, "I'm going to stop on deck till we're a
few miles farther off the shore; so I shall keep Mr Dellow company till
it's Lynton's watch, and then I shall turn in. Good night, gentlemen,
good night."

"Good night," said the brothers in a breath.

"If you hear it come on to blow before morning, you needn't be
surprised, for I think we're going to have a bit of wind. Young Uncle
Sam was right about sending a boat ashore with him. She'd never have
made the shore, nor the brig again."

Brace looked sharply round, trying to pierce the darkness, but in vain.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE MIGHTY RIVER.

Before morning the "Jason" was pitching and tossing in a heavy sea which
had risen very suddenly, and for the next week, whenever the brothers
cared to face the rain, wind, and spray, they found Captain Banes on
deck looking very grim and anxious and evidently in no humour for
entering into conversation.

The officers and crew too looked worn and harassed with hard work and
the buffeting they had received; but it was evident that they took it
all as a matter of course, and were perfectly confident about the
ability of the brig to weather a far worse storm.

It was quite bad enough, and prolonged till the pitching of the vessel
became very wearisome; but there was one thing which always met the eyes
of the brothers when they went on deck, and that was the figure of
Briscoe tucked up in the best shelter he could find, beneath bulwark or
behind deckhouse, clad in glistening black waterproof; and smoking a big
cigar.

He always saw the brothers a