Instead of laughing, Mrs. Cliff stood staring at him in silent amazement.

“I see I have shocked you,” said the captain, “but you must remember that that is only a poor heathen’s ignorant vagary.  Please say nothing about it, especially to Miss Markham.”

“Say nothing about it!” exclaimed Mrs. Cliff.  “I wish I had a thousand tongues to talk of it.  Captain, do you really believe that Cheddy man is a priest, or what goes for one in his own country?  If he is, he ought to marry you and Edna.”

The captain frowned, with an air of angry impatience.  “I could excuse that poor negro, madam,” he said, “when he made such a proposition to me, but I must say I did not expect anything of the kind from you.  Do you think, even if we had a bishop with us, that I would propose to marry any woman in the world for the sake of making her what that fellow called the ‘boss’ of this party?”

It was now Mrs. Cliff’s turn to be impatient.  “That boss business is a very small matter,” she replied, “although, of course, somebody must be head while you are gone, and it was about this that I came to see you.  But after hearing what that colored man said, I want to speak of something far more important, which I have been thinking and thinking about, and to which I could see no head or tail until a minute ago.  Before I go on, I want you to answer me this question:  If you are lost at sea, and never come back, what is to become of that treasure?  It is yours now, as you let us know plainly enough, but whose will it be if you should die?  It may seem like a selfish and sordid thing for me to talk to you in this way just before you start on such an expedition, but I am a business woman,—­since my husband’s death I have been obliged to be that,—­and I look at things with a business eye.  Have you considered this matter?”

“Yes, I have,” answered the captain, “very seriously.”

“And so have I,” said Mrs. Cliff.  “Whether Edna has or not I don’t know, for she has said nothing to me.  Now, we are not related to you, and, of course, have no claim upon you in that way, but I do think that, as we have all suffered together, and gone through dangers together, we all ought to share, in some degree at least, in good things as well as bad ones.”

“Mrs. Cliff,” said the captain, speaking very earnestly, “you need not say anything more on that subject.  I have taken possession of that treasure, and I intend to hold it, in order that I may manage things in my own way, and avoid troublesome disputes.  But I have not the slightest idea of keeping it all for myself.  I intend that everybody who has had any concern in this expedition shall have a share in it.  I have thought over the matter a great deal, and intended, before I left, to tell you and Miss Markham what I have decided upon.  Here is a paper I have drawn up.  It is my will.  It is written in lead—­pencil and may not be legal, but it is the best I can do.  I have