"But when I yeerie dat massa not only was like to cover" (recover, I surmised, was meant), "but dat he was nephew to one big somebody, wid plenty money, and, beside all dat, he was to go to Jamaica--oh dat alter Quacco taught altogeder, becaase he knowed he could be much use to massa in Jamaica, from, him knowledge of de world dere."--("Indeed!" thought I, "how very disinterested!")--"Beside," seeing I twigged, "to tell de hanest trute,--one ting wery _pleasant_ for do when him _profitable at de same time_,--I taught it more better to take my chance wid you as my master, den face de _sartainty_ of hard work, leetle sleep, and much flag, in de frigate--so I take de small liberty of ship myself in de Ballahoo lang wid good massa--dat all, massa." "So--and pray where have you been skulking since we sailed, may I ask?" "To be sure," said he, with the most provoking calmness,--"to be sure." "To be sure of what, sir?" said I, fairly savage at last. "To be sure massa may hax where I have been since we sailed," roared Quacco, withdrawing up the ladder from the door as I rose--"Devil I don't I say, if massa will only sit down again, dat I will tell him, and satisfy him on all particular." He uttered this with his head leant back, so as to be the only part of him visible, while his hands clutched the ropes of the companion-ladder, his feet being on the second step of it, in act to bolt on deck if I had moved after him. I sat down, seeing there was no use in putting myself into a passion with the poor fellow. "Well, do tell me then, you free-and-easy scoundrel you." Here the serjeant again advanced into the cabin, where he made a variety of grimaces; and after rubbing his great blubber lips hard with the back of his hand, he proceeded:-- "You see, sir--it was no fault of I--some how, when I turn in, I hab one larsh case-bottle of rum wid me, and I could not finis him in lesser time den tree day,--so dat was de reason massa did not see me more sooner; but de moment I hear enemy was dere--dat fighting was for do--ha, ha!--Quacco sober in one moment, and I jomp up, and lef de bottle one tird full, and fight!--Massa surely see how I was fight!" "Ay,--and, with Mr Brail's permission, you shall have a free passage for your gallantry, Quacco," said the skipper. "Tank you, massa captain," quoth Quacco, joyously.--"Now, Massa Brail, you must forgive de leetle liberty I was take--believe me, you hab got one gooder sarvant more as you taught,"--and so I did indeed find afterwards. Six days after this, the man-of-war schooner, having seen us safe to the end of our voyage, left us for her destination, and we ran into Montego bay as the night fell, and came to anchor.