folding-chair.

"That you?" shouted the captain, and the personage addressed took his
cigar slowly from his lips and emitted a great puff of vapour.

"Yes, skipper," he said coolly; "it's me," and he replaced his cigar.

"What in the name of all that's wonderful are you doing here?"

"Doing, skipper?" said the American quietly. "Smoking. Precious hot,
ain't it?"

"Hot, sir?" roared the captain; "it's nothing to what it's going to be.
How dare you? Why, you're a stowaway!"

"Am I, skipper? Well, do you know," said the American, in the most
imperturbable way, "I thought I was a lump of human fat melting slowly
away and running out on to your deck."

"How did you get here?"

"How did I get here? Why, two of your men brought me aboard last night
in your boat."

"Well, of all the impudence!"

"Now, now, now, skipper, don't get in a wax. Just act like a man, and
order me a drink, half water, half lime-juice, for my throat feels as if
it had been sanded with hot sand."

"I'll order you over the side, and set you ashore at the nearest point
of land."

"Not you, skipper. It would be like committing murder, and raise up
international difficulties."

"I don't care, sir; I'll do it. You've got the wrong man to deal with
if you think you're going to play any of your Yankee tricks with David
Banes. Here, Dellow, heave-to and man the big boat."

"Good ten miles to the shore," said the first mate in a low remonstrant
tone of voice.

"I don't care if it's twenty. I said I wouldn't take him as a
passenger, and I won't."

"Ten miles for your chaps to pull in the dark, and ten miles back," said
the American coolly: "that's twenty, and say another ten miles as
allowance for currents, which run strong, I've heard say. That's thirty
miles. Say, skipper, hadn't you better take it coolly and make the best
of it?"

"No, sir, I had not."

"But I have made up my mind to sail with you, skipper, for I reckon I
shall like this trip."

"And I reckon you will not," said the captain grimly. "You're very
sharp, sir, but you've cut yourself this time, and you're going to be
rowed ashore as soon as it's light."

"Hah, that's better, skipper. Your lads couldn't do it in the dark, and
they'd never find the brig again."

"That's right," said the captain. "I'm not going to run any risks, for
the sake of my men; but ashore you go as soon as it's light."

"And what about for the sake of me? I have heard that some of