"Brown, I mean no offense, but will you not tell me, in a few words, how you happened into Fairbanks's flagship?" "Sure. Fine ship she is. You ever been on board, Cap'?" Farquharson laughed. "You are the same old Brown, I see. Now, forge ahead." "Sure pop, Cap'. Injuns finally gave up, dropped oars and lay down in the bottom of the boat. I didn't blame 'em; fact there was as much sense in that as doin' anything else, under the circumstances." The Englishman leaned on the pommel and waited resignedly. "All suddenly the wind began to blow harder. Whew! but she came a-kitin'. Seen the same thing many a time on the Mississippi River. Boat pitched like a log fallin' down hill. Boss Injun grabbed the tiller, and howled jabber-talk at the others like all-possessed. Oarsmen got their paddles goin' in no time. Didn't think such quick work was in the critters." "Brown--I'm--listening." "All right, Cap'. I'll go on talkin'. Well, fog began clearin'. The Injuns took heart; put the boat about and started off for somewhere. First thing I knew, we were in trouble again. The ocean pitched wors'n before, though the wind had eased up. Soon, sir, our boat lifted clear of the water and dived down like a duck. Yes, sir!" "Yes." "Seems to me I went along on down for ten fathoms anyway. Awfullest commotion under there you ever heard of. All the time I was thinkin', yes, sir, thinking that as much as I wanted adventure I wasn't lookin' for it on the bottom of the ocean. "Then, I began whirlin', till I didn't know anything. First I remember I was top of the waves once more, sort o' dazed like, and whippin' away from us, like a hurricane, was an all-fired big ship. She was just a-clippin' it, knots and knots per hour. You see, we'd been caught in her wash, and just naturally capsized." "Yes, yes. It was the flagship, was it?" "Certain, Cap', and neat work she did pickin' us up. I was floatin' on my back, tryin' to think, when a rowboat came along. A couple of sailors caught me by my midships and shirt collar. In no time I was across a thwart, head hangin' down, and the sea-water just boilin' out o' my mouth. Sooner than I could tell it every one of the Injuns was aboard and likewise bein' deprived of the water they'd swallowed. "Well, the big boat slowed up and waited. Our rowboat was soon alongside, and we were hauled up." "So, Fairbanks brought you to Monterey and dropped you on that fishing smack. Brown, I'm glad you've met with an adventure at last. The fleet was off the harbor when you left, was it not? The entire seven ships, I mean." "Cap', the seven ships were out there all right. But I don't consider that capsizin' my real adventure. No, sir!" "You met another mishap?" turning his bridle-rein, and looking at the signal smoke. "I hope it terminated as well for you as the first. What was it?" "Nary mishap. Last night I had an interview with the Ad_my_ral."