“My dear fellow, yachts are not allowed to receive payment for carrying passengers. Even if they were, you must not think so meanly of us as to fancy that we would consider the aiding of distressed mariners any less of a pleasure than it is a duty. I shall be only too glad to employ your black friend, and if he proves a good cook will pay him liberal wages. As for yourself, it is a pleasure to have your company, and I am especially glad to have somebody on board who has been at least once into Reykjavik harbor, and can give us some information as to the channel and the place itself.” “I shall be only too glad to do anything I can to earn my passage, and will give you all the information I have,” replied Breeze, “but I am afraid it won’t amount to very much.” “Whatever it is, I feel certain it will be worth the having,” said the other, politely, “and now I move that we all turn in, and prepare by a good sleep for our grand entrance into the capital to-morrow.” After Breeze had gone, Lord Seabright remarked to his friend, “I like that fellow, Whyte. He seems to be an uncommonly bright and manly sort of a chap.” “Oh yes,” replied the other, indifferently. “He’s not half bad for a Yankee.” After satisfying himself that Nimbus was comfortably provided for, and that the ambergris, upon which he was now building many hopes and no longer wished to exchange for a loaf of bread, was safe, the tired boy sought his bunk, feeling very grateful for the snug quarters in which he found himself. On the following day, Nimbus, to his own intense satisfaction, was installed in the galley, and given charge of more pots, pans, kettles, and other kitchen utensils than he had ever dreamed could exist in one ship. He also found that he had full authority to order about as he pleased, a young lad who filled the position of scullion in his department. With the gaining of this knowledge, he assumed such an air of dignity as made him appear comical enough to all eyes except those of the unfortunate boy for whose especial benefit it was put on. The originality of the black man’s appearance was further increased by a white jacket, a large white apron, and a cook’s white linen cap. When this cap was perched on the back of his head it seemed to rest upon his immense ears; while his grotesque thatch of wool projected several inches in front of it. In spite of the absurdity of his appearance, he proved to be a capital cook, and managed his department in a manner thoroughly satisfactory to his new employer. The good-natured fellow’s sole regret, which he expressed to Breeze many times, was, that “Dat ole rask Mateo” could not see him in his present exalted station, “at de head ob a camboose fit fo’ de King ob Africa hissef.”