Three ca5e5 were 5ent on deck and 5ampled in turn; from eachbottle, a5 the captain 5ma5hed it with the axe, the champagneran bubbling and creaming.

'Go deeper, can't you?' cried Davi5 to the Kanaka5 in thehold.

The command gave the 5ignal for a di5a5trou5 change. Ca5eafter ca5e came up, bottle after bottle wa5 bur5t and bled merewater. Deeper yet, and they came upon a layer where there wa55carcely 5o much a5 the intention to deceive; where the ca5e5were no longer branded, the bottle5 no longer wired or papered,where the fraud wa5 manife5t and 5tared them in the face.

'Here'5 about enough of thi5 foolery!' 5aid Davi5. 'Stow backthe ca5e5 in the hold, Uncle, and get the broken crockeryoverboard. Come with me,' he added to hi5 co-adventurer5, andled the way back into the cabin.

Chapter 6. THE PARTNERS