The bird was just then brought over the side, and Cops pointed it out to her friend.
"Is that your polly, darling?"
"Ye-es. Oh, don't he shiver? he's ill."
Thompson advanced, and told the sailor who was carrying it forward to take it down to his cabin, where, much to Miss Barbara's delight, it was duly installed in a place of honour just over the acting warrant-officer's table, from which elevated position it could throw its food and flirt its water over his head and down his neck as he sat at meals; but what cared he for that? to please such a child he would willingly have roomed with an alligator.
When the bird had been fed and received its instructions from its mistress, Cops ordered her slave to carry her up stairs, which he accordingly did in a most submissive manner: and upon their reaching the top of the ladder, were accosted by the bonne, who had evidently been searching for the child, and was somewhat out of temper.
"Oh, mon Dieu! Mademoiselle que vous êtes nottey!"
"No, she ain't naughty," replied Jerry, who was exceedingly indignant at the charge. "She's as good as gold."
"Eff you zay zo, sare, I it belief!" exclaimed the bonne, darting a look of unmistakable admiration at the last speaker. "You are trop good not to say vat is not ze trof;" saying which she bade the child kiss her hand to her good friend, and darting another killing glance at the acting boatswain, seized Miss Cops, said, "Good-bye, sare," upon her own account, and disappeared below with her charge.
"Oh," mused Jerry, "that's it, is it, Miss Polly-wo-frunkzay? Well, I can't make love to you before such a beautiful angel as that baby is; besides, I don't think it's right. Being an engaged man, it ain't correct for me to make love to French gals." It will be seen by this that Mr. Thompson changed his ideas, as some do their political opinions, to suit the circumstances of the case.
By noon, everything being quite ready, the Stinger saluted the admiral's flag, and, having steamed through False Bay, made sail for home, all bidding adieu to Africa without the slightest regret.