lose another ship.

"She has American lines, anyway," said the astute Scots engineer of the

gin-mill; "it's my belief she's a yacht."

"That's it," said the old salt, "a yacht! look at her davits, and the

boat over the stern."

"A yacht in your eye!" said a Glasgow voice. "Look at her red ensign! A

yacht! not much she isn't!"

"You can close the store, anyway, Tom," observed a gentlemanly German.

"Bon jour, mon Prince!" he added, as a dark, intelligent native cantered

by on a neat chestnut. "Vous allez boire un verre de biere?"

But Prince Stanilas Moanatini, the only reasonably busy human creature

on the island, was riding hot-spur to view this morning's landslip on

the mountain road: the sun already visibly declined; night was imminent;

and if he would avoid the perils of darkness and precipice, and the

fear of the dead, the haunters of the jungle, he must for once decline

a hospitable invitation. Even had he been minded to alight, it presently

appeared there would be difficulty as to the refreshment offered.

"Beer!" cried the Glasgow voice. "No such a thing; I tell you there's

only eight bottles in the club! Here's the first time I've seen British

colours in this port! and the man that sails under them has got to drink

that beer."

The proposal struck the public mind as fair, though far from cheering;

for some time back, indeed, the very name of beer had been a sound of

sorrow in the club, and the evenings had passed in dolorous computation.

"Here is Havens," said one, as if welcoming a fresh topic. "What do you

think of her, Havens?"

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