Sparrow Street, and you shall see him, and we'll settle it all up, day
and all, afore the night is over."

"I can't, father."

Bet's face had now grown deadly white.

"Will shouldn't ha' done it, for I give him my answer, and he knows
I'm not the girl to change. I can't do that either to help myself or
the boys, father. But what do you mean?" she added, suddenly, as a
queer look on Granger's face caused her to stop. She wheeled round and
confronted her father.

"You can't be asking me to go home to meet Will Scarlett; for he's
away, miles away by now in the 'Good Queen Anne.'"

Granger burst into a loud, coarse laugh.

"Will Scarlett!" he repeated--"Will Scarlett? So that's the way the
wind blows, pretty lass? But I look higher than that strip of a
good-for-nought feller for you. It's Isaac Dent, the best seaman in
Liverpool, as would wed you, Bet, and make you the luckiest girl in
the place."

Bet put her hand to her forehead.

"Isaac Dent?" she repeated. "He drinks, he's cruel; he ain't even
honest. Isaac Dent! Father, you must be mad."

She turned on her heel, and flew down a dark court, which happened to