"That's a Japanese insult," grinned young Somers.

"Do you think Kamanako understands it?" queried Hastings.

"If he doesn't then what good does it do him to be Japanese?" Eph
demanded.

Jacob Farnum listened with great interest to what his young captain had
to tell him. David Pollard, being still asleep, had no notion, as yet,
of what had happened.

"I reckon," muttered the shipbuilder, "It won't be any use to have any
Japanese aboard here as steward, or as anything else."

"I shan't hire any more of them," Benson replied. "I shall always
suspect a spy, after this, when I see any Japanese aboard any kind of a
war craft, or serving at any military post."

"I'm sorry I missed seeing Eph do the flying somersault act, though,"
laughed Mr. Farnum.

"I missed it as much as you did," admitted Jack Benson. "At the moment
my face was buried in the carpet."

When the two ascended to the platform deck Captain Jack asked, soberly:

"Well, Eph, what is your present opinion about the ability of a Japanese
to look after himself?"

"Don't rub it in," muttered Somers, with another sheepish grin.