KIDNAPPED

pictures that I sat and gazed at, there was never a ship,
never a seaman with a hairy cap, never a big bludgeon
for my silly head, or the least sign of all those tribula-
tions that were ripe to fall on me.

Presently, all swollen with conceit, I went up stairs
and gave my prisoner his liberty. He gave me good
morning civilly; and I gave the same to him, smiling
down upon him from the heights of my sufficiency.
Soon we were set to breakfast, as it might have been
the day before.

‘‘Well, sir,” said I, with a jeering tone, ‘‘have you
nothing more to say tome?” And then, as he made no
articulate reply, ‘‘It will be time, I think, to understand
each other,” Icontinued. ‘‘ You took me for a country
Johnnie Raw, with no more mother-wit or courage than
a porridge-stick. I took you for a good man, or no
worse than others at the least. It seems we were both
wrong. What cause you have to fear me, to cheat me,
and to attempt my life ——”

He murmured something about a jest, and that he
liked a bit of fun; and then, seeing me smile, changed
his tone, and assured me he would make all clear as
soon as we had breakfasted. I saw by his face that he
had no lie ready for me, though he was hard at work
preparing one; and I think ] was about to tell him so,
when we were interrupted by a knocking at the door.

Bidding my uncle sit where he was, I went to open
it, and found on the doorstep a half-grown boy in sea-
clothes. He had no sooner seen me than he began to
dance some steps of the sea-hornpipe (which I had never
before heard of, far less seen), snapping his fingers in the
air and footing it right cleverly. For all that, he was

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