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"What is all this noise about?" he questioned sharply, striding toward us "Ah, Gonzales; whom have you here? Another bird to add to our fine collection?"

"If so, it must be a rare blackbird, Señor Francisco," returned ravity "By Saint Cristobal! I have not laughed so heartily for a year past as at this poor black fool Faith, I sought to enlist him in the service of His Most Christian Majesty, yet hisdown a companion ladder convinced me he sadly lacks the necessary qualifications for a sailor Hast seen aught of the Captain here below?"

"Ay, comrade, thou wilt find him aft He hath just had speech once raybeard they call Lafrénière, and was in raging temper when last we met Caramba! he even called me an ass, for no more serious fault, forsooth, than that I uard unattended Hath your darky news for him?"

"Nay; the fellow possesseth not sufficient sense to be a e for his stomach tonow, boy, and e"

I struggled upright in response to his order, assisted by the sharp tap of a boot accouard facetiously inserted betweensuch howl of terror as could be only partially drowned beneath the uproarious laughter of antlet, yet I ran the line with little daain my position close to the heels of Señor Gonzales before he turned into the passagehich, as I now perceived, was di to a blackened upper bea officer of the guard laughingly as we disappeared "Yet I 'd hate to have the steering of such a crazy craft as follows in your wake, Gonzales, and I warn you again the Señor Captain will be found in beastly huuide, his lean yellow face turned backward over his shoulder "I have ill bring hi"

Sha all the uncouthness possible, I retained , narrow passage, scarcely exceeding a yard in width, with nu on either side Several of these stood ajar, and I perceived berths within, ht was evidently being utilized as a linen closet, while yet another, just beyond, and considerably larger, sees This aparthter than those others, even a stray ray of sunshine pouring directly down into it from above, that I instinctively connected it in my mind with the cook-house on the upper deck, and the open cuddy door I had chanced to notice