50 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

to Miss Dunham, lest by waiting a few moments longer
his face would betray the rebellion in his stomach, and
went on deck in the least possible space of time.

Once the door was closed behind him, his first act was
to throw the cigar overboard, and then, seizing the main
rigging to steady himself, faced the steward.

There could be no complaint that the black face was
expressionless, for the liveliest concern was written on
every feature, as the old darkey, prefacing his questions
with an apology for daring to interrogate the commander
of the brig, asked :

« Am it de sure enuff trufe you’se tole de young missy,
*bout gwine fur er crowd ob dem low-down yeller men?”

“Why, yes, uncle, that’s the only way open for us
now. You don’t fancy we can find white men around
these islands, do you?”

The old man shook his head, mournfully ; but made no
reply, and the young captain asked, impatiently.

“What ’s the matter? Are you one of those stewards
who interfere with the sailors, and think you can’t get
along with the Chinese ?”’

“No, sah. I’se allers tendin’ out de bes’ I know how
on all han’s; but I’se done gone ’fraid od dese yere yeller
men. While we’se bin hyar seben or nine ob dem yere
little skimmin’-pan boats hab kept mighty cluss ’roun’ de
brig, an’ your uncle gwinter hab his ’pinyon wha’ dey
cum fur.”

«“There’s no question but that the natives here are
none too good to seize the vessel if they thought it could