best to pursue. At first he ordered one or two of the men to go aloft in
pursuit. But this only increased the evil, for the animal, seeing itself
chased, hastened to climb a still higher spar; and the terrible fear
was suggested that, if driven too closely, he might drop his precious
burden, in order thus to secure the use of both his arms."

"Oh, grandmamma, how shocking!" cried George, his interest evidently
reaching a climax at this point of the tale.

"Shocking indeed," said Mrs. Ward; "the very idea was enough to make
one's blood run cold. What was to be done? There was, happily, present a
very experienced old seaman, who now ventured to suggest a plan which he
thought might possibly turn out successful: at all events, as he said,
it could do no harm. His advice was, that everybody should be ordered to
quit the deck, sailors and all, so that not a creature should be visible
on board. The few men whose presence was necessary to manage the ship
were alone suffered to remain at their post, and they were directed to
keep quiet, and to conceal themselves as much as possible from view of
the monkey. The captain determined to try this scheme, and his orders
were immediately obeyed. We all hastened down accordingly, and waited
the issue in suspense. For some minutes a profound silence reigned.
By-and-by the captain, who had placed himself at a point where he could
watch unseen what was going forward, announced that the monkey was
descending cautiously from his perch. By his actions it seemed as though
the creature felt at a loss to account for the unwonted solitude on
deck. His curiosity was awakened, and he must needs come down and see
what it meant.

"Slowly and cautiously he slipped from yardarm to yardarm, approaching
nearer and nearer to the deck; at last he reached it, still carrying the