a nightmare; and the next moment he fainted and fell on the top of
Broomberg the mutineer.




CHAPTER III


Two little girls, one little boy, and one little dog, all as black as
chimney-sweeps, the girls with their arms in the air, now came wildly
racing aft.

Tom himself, come back to life, was standing on the capstan waving his
cap in the air, and cheering and laughing like a mad thing.

Aralia and Pansy reached the quarter-deck before anyone could say
"knife", and, black as they were, sprang right into Captain Staysail's
arms, hugging him and kissing him.

"What!--what!--what!--" He tried to get out a sentence, but failed.

"Oh, I was so frightened, Unky dear, but I is so happy now!" cried Pansy.

"Bless my soul and body," cried Staysail at last, "how did all this
happen?"

[Illustration]

Then he went forward a few paces, the little ones clinging to him all the