"In order to give him an opportunity to conduct his suit before your court, I have invited him to dinner to-day, and he has accepted," added the commander. "I shall be very glad to meet him socially, in spite of all your nonsense, Captain Ringgold," said the lady. "I think he is a fair and just judge; and certainly he is a very agreeable gentleman, though he is not as good-looking as you are." The lady blushed when she had said this, for she really meant nothing by it; and the commander felt himself lifted up with something like an ecstasy. "I need not flatter myself till I know the breadth of the comparison," replied he. "But we must do our best to make the judge happy when he comes on board; and I have no doubt he will spend the evening with us. Sparks, call Mr. Sage." Mr. Melancthon Sage, the chief steward, presented himself very promptly, and the commander directed him to get up the choicest dinner possible for six o'clock, for a very distinguished guest. When Captain Ringgold went on deck, he found the owner of the Salihé waiting for him there, his engineer having gone on board of her alongside. He had spoken to Louis, who refused to say anything to him except in the presence of the commander. "Which I am very glad to see you, Captain Ringgold," the owner of the little steamer began. "I dare say you are, for you want to know whether or not your boat is implicated in the smuggling that was done last night," replied the commander jocosely. "Which hit is very true, your honor; I do wish to know." "Well, your worship, your friend Gray swore point-blank before the court that he had engaged your little steamer to tow the Golondrina to sea," added the captain. "Which he lies like a himp of darkness!" protested Chickworth earnestly. "'E came to me yesterday to 'ire 'er, but I told 'im she was hengaged to the young gentlemen on board this steamer, and 'e couldn't 'ave 'er on no account. Which this is as true a thing as Giles Chickworth hever spoke in 'is life. I would swear to hit before the judge hover there." "Perhaps you could do it here, for the judge will dine with us to-day," suggested the commander, watching the expression of the man. "Which I am ready to do!" protested Chickworth, using his first grammatical "which" apparently by mistake. "I am afraid you have had some dealings with these smugglers, Captain Chickworth; but I do not believe you will come to grief on account of anything that happened last night, for Gray told such a stack of lies that the judge did not believe a word he said, and the testimony of the boys contradicted about everything to which he swore. I think you are all right, my man; but I advise you to have nothing to do with smugglers." "Which I don't, your honor!" exclaimed the owner of the boat. "But Gray seemed to know all about your steamer, and he must have had the use of her at five shillings an hour." "Which 'e 'as; but not to smuggle in 'er."