Then forth stepped Jenkyn o' the Ford with tall Orson, which last spake with voice uplift: "Master," quoth he, "us do love goldbut fighting men us do be, and if 'steel' says you'steel' says we!" "Aye," nodded Jenkyn, "so look'ee master, here stands I wi' Orson my comrade look'ee, for witness that to-day we be better men than these growlers.

My battery is one of the links in the long chain of growlers which daily pour fire and iron on to the enemy.

asked Growler, eying him suspiciously.

As they drew alongside, Growler muttered in a not unfriendly whisper: "Look here, youngsters, here's a word of advice that may save you your skins.

Growler flashed his white teeth at her.

When Rudolf and Ann and the False Hare, under guard of Growler and Prowler, reached the deck of the Merry Mouser, they found Peter, dressed in a dry suit of pirate clothing and looking none the worse for his wetting.

"Now then," he commanded Growler, "hand 'em over.

" Very much against his will, Growler emptied his pockets of the False Hare's jewelry and handed it over to his Chief.

Growler opened it and took out a dozen paper collars, a little pair of pink paper pajamas, and a small black bottle labeled "Hare Restorer.

Growler edged up to Prowler.

If we could only get him and Growler on our side and make them help us seize Mittens and drop him overboard.

"And there's a big high cliff, too, with a little stream of water running down, and" But here Rudolf stopped, for Growler and Prowler rushed up, cut the strings of the three bags, and released the children from their imprisonment.

After him came Growler leading Rudolf, then Prowler with Ann, then the Maltese pirate with Peter by the hand.

The Pirattery, so the children were informed by Growler and Prowler, was an assembly hall or general meeting-place for the pirates when on shore.

This last announcement was greeted by a volley of shrill and joyful yowls from the younger cat pirates, but Growler, frowning, whispered in Rudolf's ear: "Don't you believe a word of that, about whacking up on the treasure!

"Be quiet," muttered Growler, "unless you want your ears bitten off?

Don't you see the Chief is going to sing?" Mittens had stepped to the front of the platform and was fixing an angry scowl upon the three children who stood between Growler and Prowler directly beneath him.

"But listen, what are the mates saying?" The two black cat pirates were conversing excitedly under cover of the music, and presently the children heard what Prowler was whispering to Growler: "Look here, Matey, where's the rest of the swag, the suit case and his sword, you know?" "On board ship, stowed away in Cap'n's cabin," answered Growler.

He then went below to see if he could find his sword before either Growler or Prowler should take a fancy to it.

Prowler's pink pajamas were a better fit for him than Growler's paper collar which nearly concealed his pirate's nose, only the points of his whiskers and the tips of his black ears showing.

"The thing ter do," drawled Growler sleepily, "is ter do nothin' 'tall till ye git somewheres where somethin's gotter be did, an' then like's not it's too late ter do anything an' all yer trouble's saved for ye!" Rudolf did not think much of this as advice, but Prowler seemed delighted.

When every drop was finished and every crumb licked up, Growler said to Prowler, "Time for a nap, old boy," and without so much as a look in the children's direction the two rude fellows turned tail and marched off arm in arm to their bunks.

" "Let's try to wake Growler and Prowler up," Ann begged.

Among all the familiar faces were some they had almost forgotten but were not sorry to see again: the Lady Goose, waving her spoon; the Gentleman Goose, and Squealer and Squawker, his two little duck apprentices; the cheerful grinning countenances of Prowler and Growler, the mates, with Toddles and Towser the common sea-cats.

Their double-breasted coats had just the cut of those of the ancient jehus who used to sit aloft on decrepit "growlers.