the
natives about here are the old Caribs."

"Yes, sir, regular old-fashioned savages; and you won't find any hotels,
nor captains to worry with questions."

"I've heard too that they're cannibals, skipper. S'pose they eat me?"

"So much the better for them and the worse for you. But that's your
look-out, not mine."

"Well, you are a hard nut, skipper," said the American, leaning back and
smoking away.

"I am, sir: too hard for you to crack. You're not the first loafing,
cheating stowaway I've had to deal with."

"Cheating, eh?" said the American, turning his face to Sir Humphrey and
Brace in turn. "Hark at him! I don't want to cheat. I'll pay my share
of all expenses."

"No, you won't, sir, for I won't have your money. This brig's let to
these two gentlemen for as long as they like. You've played me a dirty
trick after being told that I was engaged, and you've got to go ashore.
I see through your tricks now. You inveigled my second mate ashore to
dinner with you."

"Asked him, and treated him like a gentleman," said the American.

"You stole his straw hat."

"Nay, nay, only borrowed it, skipper."

"Stole his hat, sir."

"Say took, and I won't argue, skipper: I was obliged to."

"Left him asleep, and stole aboard in the ship's boat."

"Yes, that's right," said the American. "I thought you were going to
say I stole the boat. That's right. The men wouldn't have rowed me
aboard if it hadn't been for the mate's hat."

"And for aught you cared I might have sailed and left that poor fellow
behind--eh, Lynton?"

"That seems about the size of it," said the second mate.

"Gammon!" cried the American good-humouredly. "You're too good a
seaman, Captain Banes, to go off and leave one of your officers ashore."

"That's oil," said the captain sharply; "but I'm not going to be
greased, sir. You're going ashore: if only for playing me and my second
officer such a dirty trick."

"Say smart, not dirty, skipper."

"Dirty, sir, dirty."

"Only business, skipper. I'd made up my mind to come, and it seemed to
me the only way."

"Ah, you were very clever; but it won't do sir. You're going ashore."

"But what about that cool drink, skipper?"

"And as soon as it's light," said the captain, ignoring the request.
"Mr Dellow."

"Ay, ay, sir."

"Set the course a few miles nearer shore. No fear of a squall off
here."

"Well, I dunno, sir," said the mate. "I don't think I'd run in too
close. Th