om under my feet. I'm not used to it."

"I am quite ignorant of having done anything to injure you, sir," said
Brace. "Will you explain yourself?"

"Oh, I'll precious soon explain. You and your brother pushed in before
me and stole my skipper."

"Did what?" cried Brace.

"Stole my skipper, squire. I came here straight, after being too late
over a schooner at Trinidad. Found out that Skipper Banes had been
disappointed of a cargo and was just the man likely to make a bargain
with me, but before I could get in tow with him you and your brother had
hooked on."

"Really, I'm very sorry for you."

"Never mind the sorrow, squire: I want something more substantial than
that. What do you say to tossing for him?"

"Nothing," said Brace.

"Of course I knew you'd say that. What do you say to letting me have
him, and I'll take you with me, both of you?"

"Nothing again," replied Brace, laughing.

"Why not? Lookye here: I'm going up the Orinoco exploring and
collecting, shooting, fishing, and hunting, and finding every precious
thing there is to be found. That's just what you're going to do."

"Is it?"

"Yes, of course it is: only you two say Amazons, while I say Orinoco."

"You seem to know all about our affairs, sir," said Brace stiffly.

"Yes, I do, pretty tidy," said the American. "Come, what do you say?
You and your brother can pay half, and we'll share everything we get.
What do you say to that?"

"You had better explain your position to my brother, sir," said Brace
quietly; "that is all that I can say."

"That means your brother won't come unless he can boss the whole show."

"Yes, that's it," said Brace, laughing. "It's a way we English have."

"That's true, but then, you see, we Amurricans have got the old AS blood
in us."

"AS--Anglo-Saxon?" said Brace.

"That's the stuff; sir, and all the best of the British race in us along
with our own qualities. It came out over the row with George Three, and
it's come out more and more ever since. We like to boss the whole show
too, and we do it."

"Or try to."

"Yes, and try wins, squire. But look here, I suppose you're right.
That's what your brother will say. He has made his plans and he don't
want any Yankee meddling in them, eh?"

"Well! But I believe he will put it in a more gentlemanly way."

"Fine words won't better it, squire, and the disappointment will be as
hard as ever. Look here: I want to go, and I'll pitch over the Orinoc