goin' to betray her."

"You owe the Molly Swash a grudge! Have I taken an enemy on board
her, then?"

Jack started, and seemed sorry he had said so much; while Spike eyed
him keenly. But the answer set all right. It was not given, however,
without a moment for recollection.

"Oh, you knows what I mean, sir. I owe the old hussy a grudge for
having desarted me like; but it's only a love quarrel atween us. The
old Molly will never come to harm by my means."

"I hope not, Jack. The man that wrongs the craft he sails in can
never be a true-hearted sailor. Stick by your ship in all weathers
is my rule, and a good rule it is to go by. But what did you tell
the stranger?"

"Oh! I told him I'd been six v'y'ges in the brig. The first was to
Madagascar--"

"The d--l you did? Was he soft enough to believe that?"

"That's more than I knows, sir. I can only tell you what I said; I
do n't pretend to know how much he believed."

"Heave ahead--what next?"

"Then I told him we went to Kamschatka for gold dust and ivory."