CHAPTER XIII.
A DEMAND.

T was not necessary Ben should remain in suspense

very long as to the true feeling of his crew.

At seven o'clock the studdingsails were set, and when
this work had been performed in an unusually slow and
shiftless manner, one of the crew, he who had shipped as
“Jolly Bart,” came slouching aft, with all the members
of both watches at his heels.

“What is the meaning of this?’’ Mr. Bean asked,
before they were abaft the mainmast.

«We want to speak to the captain, sir,” was the reply,
in a surly tone.

« Why don’t you wait to ask permission?”

«Well, because in the first place it would take too
much time. Then, agin, he’s got nothin’ else to do, an’
I reckon he can hear what we want to say.”

As a matter of course Ben could distinguish every
word, standing only a few paces away as he was, and,
stepping forward to the break of the quarter, he asked,
sharply :

“Well, what is it you want?”

«We've come aft, sir, to find out if you’ve made up
your mind not to put into St. Helena?”

lot