astonished at his docility, never speaking a word, and stirring
neither hand nor foot; but the secret was, he was unable to swim, and
in case we met with a second mishap, there were no more ledges
beneath to stand upon. "Crowning's but a shabby way of going out of
the world," he exclaimed, upon my rallying him; "and I'm not going to
be guilty of it."

At last, the ship was at hand, and we approached with much caution,
wishing to avoid being hailed by anyone from the quarter-deck.
Dropping silently under her bows, we heard a low whistle--the signal
agreed upon--and presently a goodly-sized bag was lowered over to us.

We cut the line, and then paddled away as fast as we could, and made
the best of our way home. Here, we found the rest waiting
impatiently.

The bag turned out to be well filled with sweet potatoes boiled, cubes
of salt beef and pork, and a famous sailors' pudding, what they call
"duff," made of flour and water, and of about the consistence of an
underdone brick. With these delicacies, and keen appetites, we went
out into the moonlight, and had a nocturnal picnic.


CHAPTER XLII.

MOTOO-OTOO A TAHITIAN CASUIST

THE Pill Box was sometimes employed for other purposes than that
described in the last chapter. We sometimes went a-pleasuring in it.