"Marry the girl I wanted to marry," said the mate, sturdily, "and not
trouble about anything else."

"And lose thirteen cottages and this ship and my berth in the bargain,"
said the skipper. "Now you try and think of some other way, and if you
haven't thought of it by dinner-time, I'll tell you what I'm going to
do."

No other scheme having suggested itself to the mate by the time that
meal arrived, he prepared to play the part of listener. The skipper,
after carefully closing both the door and the skylight, prepared to
speak.

"I'm in a desperate fix, Jack, that you'll admit," he said, by way of
preparation.

The mate cordially agreed with him.

"There's Poppy down at Poplar, Matilda at Chelsea, and Elizabeth at
Seabridge," continued Flower, indicating various points on the table
with his finger as he spoke. "Some men would give up in despair, but
I've thought of a way out of it. I've never got into a corner I couldn't
get out of yet."

"You want a little help though sometimes," said Fraser.

"All part of my plans," rejoined Flower, airily. "If it hadn't been
for my uncle's interference I should have been all right. A man's
no business to be so officious. As it is, I've got to do something
decided."

"If I were you," interrupted Fraser, "I should go to Captain Barber and
tell him straight and plain how the thing stands. You needn't mention
anything about Miss Tipping. Tell him about the other, and that you
intend to marry her. It'll be beat in the long run, and fairer to Miss
Tyrell, too."

"You don't know my uncle as well as I do," retorted the skipper. "He's
as obstinate an old fool as ever breathed. If I did as you say I should
lose everything. Now, I'll tell you what I'm going to do:--To-night,
during your watch, I shall come up on deck and stand on the side of the
ship to look at something in the water, when I shall suddenly hear a
shout."

The mate, who had a piece of dumpling on his fork, half-way to his
mouth, put it down again and regarded him open-mouthed.

"My foot," continued the skipper, in surprisingly even tones, answering
his subject, "will then give way and I shall fall overboard."

The mate was about to speak, but the skipper, gazing in a rapt manner
before him, waved him into silence.

"You will alarm the crew and pitch a life-belt overboard," he continued;
"you will then back sails and lower the boat."

"You'd better take the lifebelt with you, hadn't you?" enquired the
mate,