e policeman, sitting
down and laughing boisterously: "that boy's been making a fool of you."

"That's about the size of it," groaned the mate. "We'll be the
laughing-stock o' the town."

The skipper, who was standing with his back towards him, said nothing;
but, peering about, stooped suddenly, and, with a sharp exclamation,
picked up something from behind a damaged case.

"I've got it," he yelled suddenly; "stand clear!"

He scrambled hastily on deck, and, holding his find at arm's length,
with his head averted, flung it far into the water. A loud cheer from
a couple of boats which were watching greeted his action, and a distant
response came from the shore.

"Was that a infernal machine?" whispered the bewildered Jem to the mate.
"Why, it looked to me just like one o' them tins o' corned beef."

The mate shook his head at him and glanced at the constable, who was
gazing longingly over the side. "Well, I've 'eard of people being killed
by _them_ sometimes," he said with a grin.

A SAFETY MATCH

Mr. Boom, late of the mercantile marine, had the last word, but only by
the cowardly expedient of getting out of earshot of his daughter
first, and then hurling it at her with a voice trained to compete with
hurricanes. Miss Boom avoided a complete defeat by leaning forward
with her head on one side in the attitude of an eager but unsuccessful
listener, a pose which she abandoned for one of innocent joy when her
sire, having been deluded into twice repeating his remarks, was fain to
relieve his overstrained muscles by a fit of violent coughing.

"I b'lieve she heard it all along," said Mr. Boom sourly, as he
continued his way down the winding lane to the little harbour below.
"The only way to live at peace with wimmen is to always be at sea; then
they make a fuss of you when you come home--if you don't stay too long,
that is."

He reached the quay, with its few tiny cottages and brown nets spread
about to dry in the sun, and walking up and down, grumbling, regarded
with a jaundiced eye a few small smacks, which lay in the harbour, and
two or three crusted amphibians lounging aimlessly about.

"Mornin', Mr. Boom," said a stalwart youth in sea-boots, appearing
suddenly over the edge of the quay from his boat.

"Mornin', Dick," said Mr. Boom affably; "just goin' off?"

"'Bout an hour's time," said the other; "Miss Boom well, sir?"

"She's a' right," said Mr. Boom; "me an' her 've just had a few words.
She pic