Part 19 (1/2)

”I le ”You offered to bet yourself, but you didn't propose what it should be,--a dinner at the Star, or--”

Just then a personage appeared at the door of the berth, as immediately appealed to

”Oh! come in here, Muhajiar; you'll know all about it,” cried Jack Raby

”Take a glass We haven't seen you for so hoentlehout the shi+p,” returned the individual addressed, who entered with such a bow as he could contrive to find roousto he drank off the porter offered to hiood expression of countenance, and most of those who remember Malta in those and even later days, will recollect him as one of the most respectable tailors in the place He had been, I believe, in the e, set up for hied to establish a very thriving business He was always on the watch, and the moment a shi+p dropped her anchor he would co that was going forward, and was, consequently, a great authority

”Huzza! it is true, for Paolo Muhajiar has heard it,” exclai hard at Duff ”Well, Jeht”

Signor Paolo Muhajiar took his leave, for he was not likely to get any orders, at all events, to be paid, if he executed thehtful occupants--soo on shore, others to their duties, and the rest to see as going forward in the harbour

The scene there was aside; but there is one peculiarity of which Valetta e of nearly all other ports The boats intended for the conveyance of passengers are kept in good order, and beautifully clean; and the boat to them are also very careful to dress neatly--their linen always looking as white as snow

Sooats on board, and the aquatic goat-herds were offering to milk them to supply milk for the officers'

tea It is not a bad way to secure pure milk

The three le--were on the poop leaning over the quarter-rail, and aeneral, and watching the panoraht lads pulled out of the dockyard creek

”He for dive, signor,” sung out one of the up at our mids

”He says he'll bet you he'll dive to the bottole So overboard with you, and show hi to heave over hisif you heave it overboard,” answered Togle, retaliating by seizing the first coin he could lay hands on out of Master Jemmy's waistcoat pocket--it was fortunately only half-a-crown ”There, Sh, so both of you be after it”

And holding it up to show, before Duff could snatch at it, it was glancing through the clear water of the harbour Over went both the lads after it, eager to appropriate so rich a prize, and it is to be feared, had they had knives, they would have fought for it under the waves, and have neither of them returned Luckily Duff, as he could not save his own coin, had le, which served to attract the attention of the one as furthest froreat prize, and both of them came up to the surface an instant afterwards, with the pieces of nor--et another coin frouards,” he answered, shaking his head ”You've had quite enough from these two Master Greens already”

And the lads, after singing out a few nor; et from the crew of an old Mediterranean cruiser like the _Ione_

”Now suppose there were sharks here as they have in the West Indies, it would not be quite so easy to go overboard as it is,” observed Duff, who quickly recovered his temper, which he had lost with his half-crown

”Oh, these felloould laugh at a shark,” answered Raby ”Why even the blackies don't fear theest By the by, did you ever hear of the big fellow they keep in Port Royal harbour to do the duty of guard-boat? Not aTom is on duty, and he never takes a snooze they say”

”You don't e to keep him there?”

”Oh, the Governer fit for work; but, as he finds he ed to keep afloat; though he's been so many years at it that no one remembers when he first came on the station”

”He must be a rum old joker,” observed Duff ”Hillo, here coo and get some; for I'm very thirsty”

And away they all three scraway, to which a boat had come with a little wizened old er-beer, and other refreshi+ng drinks

”Hand us up ginger-beer there,” sung out Jemmy Duff ”But, I say, Monsieur Collet, reer-beer pop very much”

And, to prove the truth of his assertion, off went half a dozen of his bottles fizzing away together; some, however, re the lashi+ngs of the corks to give full effect of the pop He would then put a far from clean thu; but still the froth would fiz and fume round it