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"Hang me, if that brute Vigors ain't thrashing young Gossett," thought Jack. "I dare say the poor fellow has had plenty of it since I have been away; I'll save him this time, at least." Jack, wrapped up in his grego, went to the window of the berth, looked in, and found it was as he expected. He cried out in an angry voice, Mr Vigors, I'll thank you to leave Gossett alone.

Ham Gossett, the town marshal, had a posse in the houses and stores across the street, and was trying to bag a Trimble or two through the windows. "I lost that game of checkers. I'm free in saying that I lost three kings that I might have saved if I had been corralled in a more peaceful pasture.

He at length consented, and Major Gossett, of the corps of marines, eagerly entreated and obtained permission to accompany Lieutenant Richards in the ship's barge. The frigate was instantly boarded, and, in ten minutes, in a perfect blaze.

Gossett, speaking thickly through the fruit-salad, was understood to say that he regretted this. And then confusion broke loose again. Everybody began to talk at once. "I say!" said Archie. "I say! One moment!" Of the first stages of this interesting episode Archie had been a paralysed spectator. The thing had numbed him. And then Sudden a thought came, like a full-blown rose. Flushing his brow.

At the sound of the voice, Vigors turned round with his colt in his hand, saw Jack's face at the window, and, impressed with the idea that the re-appearance was supernatural, uttered a wail and fell down in a fit little Gossett also, trembling in every limb, stared with his mouth open. Jack was satisfied, and immediately disappeared.

"What's the matter, my dear Mr Gossett?" inquired Jack, who was just as polite to the youngster as he was to anybody else. "Vigors has been thrashing me with a rope's end," replied Gossett, rubbing his arm and shoulders. "What for?" inquired Jack.

"Yes," replied Gossett. "Well, then, will you do what I tell you next time, and trust to me for protection?" "I don't care what I do," replied the boy, "if you will back me against the cowardly tyrant?" "Do you refer to me?" cried Vigors, who had stopped at the door of the berth. "Say yes," said Jack. "Yes, I do," cried Gossett.

It was now a quarter past twelve, and Archibald reflected with moody satisfaction that the massacre must soon be over, and that he would then be able to forget it in the society of Margaret. As Gossett was about to drive off from the seventh tee, a telegraph boy approached the little group. 'Mr Gossett, he said.

He was wrapped up in one of the gregos, and many of the prisoners wore the same. Jack was amused at not being recognised: he slipped down the main ladder, and had to stoop under the hammocks of the wounded men, and was about to go aft to the captain's cabin to report himself, when he heard young Gossett crying out, and the sound of the rope.

Those murmuring approval observed that the telegraph boy was once more in their midst. This time he bore two missives. Sigsbee dexterously impounded both. 'No, he said with decision. 'I absolutely refuse to let you look at them till the game is over. I know your temperament. Gossett gesticulated. 'But they must be important. They must come from my office.