I don’t remember how I made out at the breakfast-table that morning, but as soon as I came on deck I looked for the Countess of Warwick.

She lay right abreast of us, and so close aboard that I could have flung a belaying-pin into her waist.

Our passengers went aft and sat in the shade of the spanker. They appeared very much interested in the English ship.

Her great black hull sat well in the water, though she was not loaded deep. At every roll of the swell I could see over her high t’gallant-rail and catch a momentary glimpse of the men on her main-deck.

Full rigged fore and aft, she showed a tremendous spread of canvas from her three skysail-yards to the foot of her courses. Her tall spars and long, tapering yards made{117} stunsails unnecessary, and the bright blackness of her standing rigging told plainly that she had a mate on board who understood his business.

Below, her copper showed a foot clear of the sea, and the water was so quiet and clear that the eye could easily follow it down under her bilge, where it seemed to give forth a soft, greenish sheen as the light fell on it at each swing of the hull.

At every roll of the swell her sails slatted against her masts and backed and filled with short, irregular jerks at the clews, until the rattle sounded like the distant roll of musketry.

While I stood looking at her, a short, slight man with red whiskers appeared emerging from the after-companionway. He wore a cap with a long visor, and a dark waistcoat flying loose and unbuttoned, which set off the semi-whiteness of his shirt-sleeves to great advantage. He stood looking at us a few moments, and then sung out:

“Hey there! where are you bound?”

“Hongkong, if you don’t foul and roll the{118} gear out of us,” answered Crojack, somewhat shortly.

“I will be aboard you in a minute,” came the response, and the small skipper held up his hand as if to ward off any further conversation until he arrived.

“Mr. Garnett!” he bawled, as he advanced to the edge of the poop, “Mr. Garnett!”

“Ay, ay, sir,” came the gruff response from somewhere directly beneath his feet.

The next instant the sturdy figure rose from the main-deck, and a shining bald head was furiously mopped within a foot of the skipper’s knees.

“Mr. Garnett,” roared the little captain, “get that port quarter boat overboard, sir, and don’t keep me waiting here all the morning. Jump, now, for I can’t abide waiting for a lazy, worthless set of loafers like your watch.”

A hoarse growling followed this order, and instantly all was noise and action on the ship. The men rushed for oars and tackles,{119} and I was astonished at the large number of them in sight.

Above the turmoil could be heard some of Garnett’s favourite oaths, which had more power of expression than any equal number of words before put together.

The tackles were hooked on, and in another minute the boat was over the side and ready.

“Give Mr. Carter the course, but tell him to lie by until we come aboard again, and don’t keep me waiting here, but get into that boat and take me to the American clipper Arrow. Come, bear a hand there.”

“Boat’s all ready, sir,” roared the mate, as he swung himself over the rail and dropped into her stern-sheets, red in the face with exertion.

“Are the cushions in her?” inquired the skipper, looking cautiously over the rail.

“Ay, ay, sir,” came the answer.

“Is the compass and water-breaker stowed safe?”

“Ay, ay, sir, all safe, sir.”{120}

“Are provisions on board, in case we lose our bearings and can’t get back again?”

“Ay, ay, sir, grub enough to last a week.”

“Have you the ‘navigator’ with you?”

There was a moment of silence.

“Have you the ‘navigator’? No! Well, how many times will I have to tell you, Mr. Garnett, never to start off on a cruise until you are ready? Get the ‘navigator,’ and be quick about it.”

The mate climbed on deck again and went below, reappearing in a moment with the “navigator” tucked lovingly under his arm.

“All right, sir,” he cried, as he dropped over into the boat.

At this the little skipper climbed carefully down into the mizzen channels and stepped into the stern-sheets, while the steward came to the rail and passed the skipper’s coat to Mr. Garnett.

“Shove off! don’t sit there looking at me,” and the men let go and shoved clear of the vessel’s side. Then they raised their oars to a peak.{121}

“Let fall!” and the two oars clattered clumsily into the row-locks.

“Give ’way together!” and the boat shot out from the ship’s side and came toward us.

“Git on to th’ style av th’ Johnnie Bull,” chuckled O’Toole, who had just come on deck; “wan would think ’twas a man-o’-war sindin’ out a bloomin’ admiral. Now, b’ th’ faith av th’ howly saints! Who’s the mug I see squattin’ there in th’ stern-sheets? Garnett! B’ th’—”

“In bow! Weigh enough!” cried the little skipper, as the boat with six sweeping strokes fell alongside.

The next instant he sprang over the rail on to our main-deck, closely followed by his mate.

Then he deliberately put on his coat, waved Garnett to stand back, and approached Captain Crojack with a majestic step.

“Captain Webster, sir, yes, sir; Captain Webster of the Countess of Warwick,” he{122} cried, as he reached the quarter-deck, where our skipper stood.

“Ah, did I hear aright? Crojack? Captain Crojack, I’m most happy to meet you, sir; most eternally tickled. Ah, your wife and daughter, I see. Madam, I bow to you. It gives me most uncommon pleasure, miss; yes, I may even say delight. But now, sir,” he cried, turning suddenly upon Crojack, “what is this row about, and what do you mean by hailing me and ordering me to stand off?”

His attack upon the skipper was so sudden that Crojack staggered back a pace or two in amazement and stared with open-eyed wonder at the little man, while his features worked convulsively as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or throw his guest overboard.

“Come, come, sir; I can’t waste all the morning here. Do you see that flag, sir?” and he pointed to the British ensign that hung in folds from his vessel’s peak.

“That is her Majesty’s flag, sir, and I’m her Majesty’s most humble servant, though{123} a mos............