88 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

captain; but I am the first officer, therefore 1t would be
no use for you to order me below.”

“Well, if there’s a craft afloat that’ s got a trimmer,
more beautiful or a more insubordinate officer than the
Progressive Age, I'd like to see her as a curiosity,” Ben
said, and there was a certain ring in his voice which
caused the red blood to come into Miss Dunham’s face
like a flood.

“T see you can pay a compliment quite as well as you
can fight, captain,’ she replied, half shyly, and then
added quickly, “Don’t you think it would be a good idea
to cat the anchor, instead of leaving it as it is?”

«“T declare I had forgotten all about that,” and Ben
hurried forward, stopping a moment to look into the gal-
ley, hailing Eliphalet, who was crouching in one corner.
behind the stove, trembling as if in an ague fit.

«Well, what’s the matter with you, uncle? It isn’t
ten minutes since you were as bold as a turkey, and now
that the scrimmage is over you must n’t give in like this.”

« Am it ober, sah?” the old man asked, as he cautiously
drew out his head sufficiently to enable him to see the
young captain.

“Ts what over?”

“De onpleasantness, sah. De fuss wid dem yeller
scoun’rels ?”

“Of course it is, and you did your duty like a man,
even if you didn’t know it. Now stir yourself, and begin
to dish up the grub once more, for we are heading for
Hong Kong.”