gaze fell upon the pretty, indignant face of the passenger, he lost the
thread of his ideas.

"She'll have to have some o' my things for the present," said the
skipper.

"Why not," said the mate, looking up again--"why not let her have your
state-room?"

"'Cos I want it myself," replied the other calmly.

The mate blushed for him, and, the girl leaving them to arrange matters
as they pleased, the two men, by borrowing here and contriving there,
made up the bunk. The girl was standing by the galley when they went on
deck again, an object of curious and respectful admiration to the crew,
who had come on board in the meantime. She stayed on deck until the air
began to blow fresher in the wider reaches, and then, with a brief good-
night to her father, retired below.

"She made up her mind to come with us rather suddenly, didn't she?"
inquired the mate after she had gone.

"She didn't make up her mind at all," said the skipper; "we did it for
her, me an' the missus. It's a plan on our part."

"Wants strengthening?" said the mate suggestively.

"Well, the fact is," said the skipper, "it's like this, Jack; there's a
friend o' mine, a provision dealer in a large way o' business, wants to
marry my girl, and me an' the missus want him to marry her, so, o'