The lieutenant commanding the Spider came on board, and finding we were bound for Kingston, strongly recommended our not attempting it alone, as he said privateers were swarming between it and the west end of Jamaica; but, on hearing that, although, the Ballahoo was bound for Kingston, my destination was the north side of the island, he politely said, that, although bound for Havanna, he would himself see us into Montego bay, where the brig might remain until the coast was clear, or she could get convoy. This was too good an offer to be rejected, and we accordingly hauled our wind, and made all sail in company. We, the master, his mate, and myself, were sitting at dinner in the cabin on that same afternoon, the Spanish gentry preferring to eat their garlic and "bacallao" and oil on the deck. "I was glad to see your servant out of his hammock and on deck again to-day. He is a smart chap that, and managed the small-arm party exceedingly well. He seems quite at home with the musket, I assure you, sir." I laid down my knife and fork at this speech of the captain. "My servant--_my_ servant, did you say?" "Yes, sir;--did you not notice how well he behaved on the forecastle, when the schooner was drawing a-head of us?" I had noticed a black fellow, in an old red jacket, very active certainly during the brush, and especially the coolness and expertness with which he had fired; but I little dreamed who it was. "Pray," said I to the skipper, "do me the favour to desire the man to come aft here." Straightway, who, of all the fish in the sea, should appear before my wondering eyes, but our old friend Serjeant Quacco! There was a pause, my dingy adherent keeping his vantage ground at the cabin-door, as if unwilling to trust himself within arm's length, until he knew how the land lay, and endeavouring to look very modest and sheepish; but his assumed bashfulness was but a flimsy cloak to his native impudence. "Quacco," said I, in anger;--but before I could get a word out---- "_Serjeant_ Quacco, if massa will be so good as remember." "You impudent rascal," continued I, "how dare you smuggle yourself on board as my servant, and without my knowledge, after having told me that you had entered on board Gazelle?" "Massa, do hab a leetle patient, and massa shall know every ting.--You see, massa, I was mind, as massa say, to sarve on board de Commodo--massa say de trute in dat--but dat was de time when I was tink de brigand knife had top massa him promotion." "Cool, and deliciously modest," thought I, as Quacco continued, in nowise put out,