A SELF-ELECTED CAPTAIN. 27

consignees, and he wished to arrive immediately after the
business was concluded.

In this he was successful.

He announced his name and relationship to the master
of the Sportsman, and the consignee replied, thinking his
only business was to see his father :

«Captain Thompson has just left. You will find him
at the Hong Kong Hotel.”

« And that is just what I don’t want to do yet awhile,
sir,” Ben replied. “I would like to talk with you first,
and then I will find him.”

The agent appeared slightly surprised by this remark,
but made no comment, and Ben unfolded his scheme
without delay.

He related the story of the rescue of the sailors, with
which the gentleman had already been made acquainted,
and also detailed what he had learned from the informer.

Then he told of his scheme, explaining that he wished
to arrange matters, if possible, with the agent, before
speaking with his father, and declared that he could get
the brig from Nampang Island to Hong Kong without
assistance, save from such native sailors as he might be
able to pick up.

« And do you think you could navigate her?” the gen-
tleman asked, displaying sufficient interest in the matter
to satisfy the young sailor.

“I’m certain of it. It won’t be an easy matter for you
to find a captain in port, so why not take me?”

“But I really have no authority in the matter,” the gen-