American Boys Afloat by Oliver Optic

"What steam-yacht is this, sir? " asked Louis, as he seated himself on a stool in front of the pilot-house.

"She's the Sali'é, sir," replied the man, pointing to the name above his head.

"That's an odd name; is it English? " added the young millionaire.

"Not at all, sir; it is a 'eathen name. She was built on the Clyde for the Grand Mogul of Mogadore; and a very fine craft she is, too, sir."

"But how came she here? This isn't a heathen place, and you don't have a great many Grand Moguls in Gibraltar, I believe."

"Bless you, no, sir! This place is a part of the realm of the Queen of Hengland, which she is likewise also the Hempress of Hindia, and is a Christian sovereign. Is it 'ow comes she 'ere?"

"His it the Queen? His she 'ere? " demanded Felix, opening as though he was immeasurably astonished; and Louis looked at him and shook his head in deprecation of the Milesian's travesty of the language of the present skipper of the Salihé. "If her gracious majesty's here, I'll go ashore and give her the top of the mornin' as the shades of aiv'nin' are gadtherin' forninst the big bit of a rock," continued he, taking his friend's decided hint and promptly acting upon it.

"The Queen which she is not in Gibraltar," replied the skipper, apparently not at all pleased with the style of the last speaker. "I was speaking of the Sali'é, sir, and not of the Queen."

"I beg your pardon, sir; I assure you on the honor of an Oirishman I mint no offince," added Felix, taking off his cap and bowing to the Englishman, entirely appeased by the apology.

"Is it 'ow the steam-yacht comes to be 'ere in Gib, sir? Well, it's a bit hodd 'ow she comes 'ere. The Grand Mogul as owned 'er 'ad a Spanish hengineer which he run away with the Sali'é, and brought 'er to Gib. But the Grand Mogul 'imself was 'ere in 'is big steam-yacht, and the Spaniard which 'e got frightened, and made fast the Sali'é to the Fatimé which it is the Grand Mogul's big yacht, and left for Spain without stopping to wipe the grease off 'is fingers."

"Then the engineer went to Spain? " queried Louis.

"I s'pose 'e did; where helse would a Spaniard go? " replied the skipper with a vacant stare.

"I give it up."

"You gives it hup! If any one gives hup the thief as stole the yacht, the Grand Mogul would cut 'im hup hinto five quarters."

"Four would be enough," interjected Felix.

"Is the Grand Mogul here now? " asked Louis.

"Not in Gib now, and I reckon he went back to Mogadore. He spoke Henglish like a rock scorpion."

"Like a what? " demanded Felix.

"Like a rock scorpion, Flix; and that is a pet name for a person born in Gibraltar," interposed Louis. "Where were you educated?"

"Not among the scorpions, moi darlint."