The latter's skipper caught sight of Pete sitting contentedly on the cat-head. His eyes opened in utter amazement.
"Pete!" he hailed. "Come you back!"
The nigger shook his woolly head.
"You kick me out, Cap'n Abe!" he reminded him.
"Fifty dollars, Pete, if you swim for it," almost implored the Yankee, finding as he thought an easy solution to the present difficulty.
Pete's head shook until his teeth almost rattled in his capacious jaws.
"Dere's no leather sea-boots with nails in 'em on dis vessel," he replied. "Only indy-rubber. 'Specks I know where dis nigger am comf'ble."
Then, using an expression that he had picked up from his new acquaintances on the Titania, he added: "Cheerio, you deah, priceless ole thing!"