down the coast of Yucatan.  Of all the large maritime countries of the world, Mexico, on the Atlantic, is that which is the most easily blockaded, by a superior naval power.  By maintaining a proper force between Key West and the Havanna, and another squadron between Cape St. Antonio and Loggerhead Key, the whole country, the Bay of Honduras excepted, is shut up, as it might be in a band-box.  It is true the Gulf would be left open to the Mexicans, were not squadrons kept nearer in; but, as for anything getting out into the broad Atlantic, it would be next to hopeless.  The distance to be watched between the Havanna and Key West is only about sixty miles, while that in the other direction is not much greater.

While the Swash was making the circuit of Jamaica, as described, her captain had little communication with his passengers.  The misunderstanding with the relict embarrassed him as much as it embarrassed her; and he was quite willing to let time mitigate her resentment.  Rose would be just as much in his power a fortnight hence as she was today.  This cessation in the captain’s attentions gave the females greater liberty, and they improved it, singularly enough as it seemed to Mulford, by cultivating a strange sort of intimacy with Jack Tier.  The very day that succeeded the delicate conversation with Mrs. Budd, to a part of which Jack had been an auditor, the uncouth-looking steward’s assistant was seen in close conference with the pretty Rose; the subject of their conversation being, apparently, of a most engrossing nature.  From that hour, Jack got to be not only a confidant, but a favourite, to Mulford’s great surprise.  A less inviting subject for tete-a-tetes and confidential dialogues, thought the young man, could not well exist; but so it was; woman’s caprices are inexplicable; and not only Rose and her aunt, but even the captious and somewhat distrustful Biddy, manifested on all occasions not only friendship, but kindness and consideration for Jack.

“You quite put my nose out o’ joint, you Jack Tier, with ’e lady,” grumbled Josh, the steward de jure, if not now de facto, of the craft, “and I neber see nuttin’ like it!  I s’pose you expect ten dollar, at least, from dem passenger, when we gets in.  But I’d have you to know, Misser Jack, if you please, dat a steward be a steward, and he do n’t like to hab trick played wid him, afore he own face.”

“Poh! poh!  Joshua,” answered Jack good-naturedly, “do n’t distress yourself on a consail.  In the first place, you’ve got no nose to be put out of joint; or, if you have really a nose, it has no joint.  It’s nat’ral for folks to like their own colour, and the ladies prefar me, because I’m white.”

“No so werry white as all dat, nudder,” grumbled Josh.  “I see great many whiter dan you.  But, if dem lady like you so much as to gib you ten dollar, as I expects, when we gets in, I presumes you’ll hand over half, or six dollar, of dat money to your superior officer, as is law in de case.”