alarm. Then his expression changed, and he rose and stammered out a
welcome. Two minutes later Miss Nugent, enthroned in the best chair with
her toes on the fender, gave her faithful subject a free pardon and full
permission to make hot coffee.

"And don't you ever try and deceive me again, Sam," she said, as she
sipped the comforting beverage.

"No, miss," said the steward, humbly. "I've 'ad a lesson. I'll never
try and Shanghai anybody else agin as long as I live."

After this virtuous sentiment he sat and smoked placidly, with occasional
curious glances divided between his two visitors. An idle and ridiculous
idea, which occurred to him in connection with them, was dismissed at
once as too preposterous for a sensible steward to entertain.

"Mrs. Kingdom well?" he inquired.

"Quite well," said the girl. "If you take me home, Sam, you shall see
her, and be forgiven by her, too."

"Thankee, miss," said the gratified steward.

"And what about your foot, Wilks?" said Hardy, somewhat taken aback by
this arrangement.

"Foot, sir?" said the unconscious Mr. Wilks; "wot foot?"

"Why, the bad one," said Hardy, with a significant glance.