ANTICIPATING TROUBLE. 53

«Did Miss Dunham notice anything of the kind?”
Ben asked, after a pause, during which he had been trying
to decide what course to pursue.

“No, sah, she ain’ been on deck berry much, an’ yer
uncle kep’ his mouf shet mighty tight.”

« Are there any weapons on board >”

«Tse done gone ’pare ’em, sah,” and the steward ran
into the deck-house, emerging a few seconds later with
three formidable-looking carving-knives, which had evi-
dently been sharpened with great care.

”

“Those don’t amount to anything,’ Ben said, con-
temptuously. “Haven't you any firearms?” —

“De ole cap’n mus’ had a ’volver, sah, an’ dat’s all
we'se got on dis yere craf’, ‘cept de cannon in de fo’-
peak what de crew was countin’ on bringin’ up fur to
celebrater wid.”

“I’ve got one revolver, and if there’s another in the
captain’s room you and I will be armed. As for the
cannon, we'll look at that later. Can you shoot at a
mark, uncle?”

“T could do dat, sah, but I’se pow’ful ’fraid de ole man
would n’t make no great fis’ at hittin’ it,” and the steward
rubbed his nose in perplexity as if trying to decide what
he really would be able to do if called upon to use
such a weapon.

“Do you shut your eyes when you shoot ?”

“ Mos’ly, sah, mos’ly. Seems like de bullet done go
better when I don’ watch it.”

“T reckon it does about as well,” Ben replied, grimly.