of the Harlow & Benton Company, Limited. Did you square up for them?"

"Yah; everything ban shipshape," All Hands And Feet assured him.

"And you insist on presenting your credentials in bunches of fives,
eh?"

All Hands And Feet nodded and once more commenced sidling toward Matt
Peasley, who backed away again, meantime addressing himself to the
United States consul:

"You heard what he said, Mr. Consul. He may be my superior officer,
but I have not been informed of that fact officially; and meantime, so
far as I am concerned, he is merely a fine, big squarehead who has
climbed aboard my ship uninvited and attacked me. Did you ever see a
sea bully licked, Mr. Consul?"

"I have never had that pleasure, Mr. Peasley."

All the time Matt Peasley was circling around the deck, with All Hands
And Feet sidling after him.

"Then you've got something coming, sir," Matt replied. "Help yourself
to a reserved seat on the rail and watch the joyous procedure. Mr.
Murphy?"

"Here, sir," Mr. Murphy replied promptly.

"I'm going to thrash the big fellow, Mr. Murphy. Stand by to see fair
play and keep the crew off him. I observe you have equipped yourself