He returned on board the wreck of the _Potluck_, and in company with a bottle of brandy strove with the situation, while the crowd and their spokesman, Hart, argued like a House of Commons. "It ain't any good talkin'," said Jack, "and hevery one knows that give a Frenchman the chance of hargument he'll talk a government mule's 'ind leg off. 'Hout of this,' is the on'y hargument a Frenchman hunderstands." "But they seems to be a good many more of 'em than us," suggested the crowd. "Come to that," said Hart, "it's the on'y just ground we 'as to go for 'em. For if they was on'y ekal numbers, it'd be cowardly to whack 'em, and I for one would be on the side of just goin' down there and shovin' them out peaceful. I'm for the hultimatum right off. I wonder 'ow the Guffin will put it. Say, boys, 'ere 'e comes!" The "old man" staggered up with a sheet of paper in his hand. "Have you done it, sir?" asked Simcox. "Let's hear it." "Yes, read it out," said Lampert, with half a sneer, which the skipper did not notice. The crowd gathered round as the captain squatted on a rock. "On board the British barque _Potluck_, belonging to the British port Liverpool; owners, McWattie & Co.; Captain Abednego Jones. "MR. SIMCOX,--Sir----" "Eh, what?" said the astounded Simcox. "It's addressed to you, Simcox," said the skipper blandly. "Why?" asked Simcox. The skipper shook his head impatiently. "I thought you'd 'ave knowed, Simcox. You're the hambassador, and you've to communicate this to 'em." "Oh, go on, sir," said the crowd. The skipper resumed: "MR. SIMCOX,--Sir, you'll be so good as to be so kind as to communicate the contents of this 'ere letter to them French of the wreck we don't know the name of, and tell them to clear. For there ain't no reasonable grounds for supposin' this ain't a British hisland (seeing that mostly all hislands is) and they've by comin' 'ere first got and taken possession of the best bit of it, which can't be allowed, as it's contrary to law in such case made and purvided. So you'll inform 'em it ain't goin' to be put up with, and they must evacuate immejit and resume the _statues quo_----" "What's that?" asked Simcox. "It's Latin, you unutterable ass," said the skipper, with a look of withering contempt. "I don't know Latin," said the poor second mate. "And who expected it of you?" asked the skipper. "It means that things are to go on as they was afore they come: "----resume the _statues quo_, and don't stand no hargument. You are to tell 'em it will be considered an unfriendly hact, and that we 'as cleared for haction in consequence of not believing them such cowards as to quit. But quit they must, and no mistake, or we resort without delay to the arbitrage and general haverage of war. Given this day on board the British barque _Potluck_ by me, "CAPTAIN ABEDNEGO JONES." "First rate!" said the crew. "That'll give 'em the jumps." "And how am I to translate it?" asked the miserable Simcox.