amused himself by teaching me navigation. I learnt it better than any
of the orthodox sciences I had to study at school. You see, that was my
hobby, while a wholesome respect for my skipper led me to work hard. I
have not forgotten what I was taught, though the only stretch of water
I have seen during the last few years is the Thames from its bridges,
and I honestly believe that if you will put up with my want of
experience of the sea for a week or so, I shall be quite capable of
doing any work you may entrust to me."

"By gad!" said Stump admiringly, "you're a wonder. Come on deck. I'll
give you a tip or two as we go into Calais."

During the journey across France it was natural that Royson should take
the lead. He spoke the language fluently, whereas Stump's vocabulary
was limited to a few forcible expressions he had picked up from brother
mariners. There was a break-down on the line near Dijon, which delayed
them eight hours, and Stump might have had apoplexy were not Royson at
hand to translate the curt explanations of railway officials. But the
two became good friends, which was an excellent thing for Dick, and the
latter soon discovered, to his great surprise, that Stump had never set
eyes on the _Aphrodite_.

"No," he said, when some chance remark from Royson had elicited this
curious fact, "she's a stranger to me. Me an' Tagg--Tagg is my first
mate, you see--had just left the _Chirria_ when she was sold to the
Germans out of the East Indian trade, an' we was lookin' about for wot
might turn up when the man who chartered the _Aphrodite_ put us on to
this job. Tagg has gone ahead with most of the crew, but I had to stop
in London a few days--to see after things a bit."