t-tempered man afloat, I should think. If he comes out and finds you
here, I don't know what he'll do."

"I'm not afraid of him," said the other, with spirit. "What do you call
him? Skipper?"

The mate nodded, and the visitor tapped loudly at the door. "Skipper!"
she cried, "Skipper!"

No answer being vouchsafed, she repeated her cry in a voice louder than
before.

"He's a heavy sleeper," said the perturbed Fraser; "better go away,
there's a good girl."

The lady, scornfully ignoring him, rapped on the door and again called
upon its occupant. Then, despite her assurance, she sprang back with a
scream as a reply burst through the door with the suddenness and fury of
a thunder-clap.

"Halloa!" it said.

"My goodness," said the visitor, aghast. "What a voice! What a terrible
voice!"

She recovered herself and again approached the door.

"Is there a gentleman named Robinson in there?" she asked, timidly.

"Gentleman named who?" came the thunderclap again.

"Robinson," said the lady, faintly.

"No! No!" said the thunder-clap. Then--"Go away," it rumbled. "Go
away."

The reverberation of that mighty voice rolled and shook through the
cabin. It even affected the mate, for the visitor, glancing towards him,
saw that he had nervously concealed himself beneath the bedclothes, and
was shaking with fright.

"I daresay his bark is worse than his bite," said the visitor,
trembling; "anyway, I'm going to stay here. I saw Mr. Robinson come
here, and I believe he's got him in there. Killing him, perhaps. Oh!
Oh!"

To the mate's consternation she began to laugh, and then changed to a
piercing scream, and, unused to the sex as he was, he realised that this
was the much-dreaded hysteria of which he had often heard, and he faced
her with a face as pallid as her own.

"Chuck some water over yourself," he said, hastily, nodding at a jug
which stood on the table. "I can't very well get up to do it myself."

The lady ignored this advice, and by dint of much strength of mind
regained her self-control. She sat down on the locker again, and folding
her arms showed clearly her intention to remain.

Half an hour passed; the visitor still sat grimly upright. Twice she
sniffed slightly, and, with a delicate handkerchief, pushed up her veil
and wiped away the faint beginnings of a tear.

"I suppose you think I'm acting strangely?" she said, catching the
mate's eye after one of these episodes.

"Oh, don't mind me," said the m