on the other's lips.

"I'm ashamed of you," said the latter, severely; "you ought to know
better."

"I don't want any of your preaching, Jack," said the skipper, briskly;
"and, what's more, I won't have it. I deserve more pity than blame."

"You'll want all you can get," said Fraser, ominously. "And does the
other girl know of any of the others?"

"Of either of the others--no," corrected Flower. "Of course, none of
them know. You don't think I'm a fool, do you?"

"Who is number three?" enquired the mate suddenly.

"Poppy Tyrell," replied the other.

"Oh," said Fraser, trying to speak unconcernedly; "the girl who came
here last evening."

Flower nodded. "She's the one I'm going to marry," he said, colouring.
"I'd sooner marry her than command a liner. I'll marry her if I lose
every penny I'm going to have, but I'm not going to lose the money if I
can help it. I want both."

The mate baled out his cup with a spoon and put the contents into the
saucer.

"I'm a sort of guardian to her," said Flower. "Her father, Captain
Tyrell, died about a year ago, and I promised him I'd look after her and
marry her. It's a sacred promise."

"Besides, you want to," said Fraser, by no means in the mood to allow
his superior any credit in the matter, "else you wouldn't do it."

"You don't know me, Jack," said the skipper, more in sorrow than in
anger.

"No, I didn't think you were quite so bad," said the mate, slowly.
"Is--Miss Tyrell--fond of you?"

"Of course she is," said Flower, indignantly; "they all are, that's the
worst of it. You were never much of a favourite with the sex, Jack, were
you?"

Fraser shook his head, and, the saucer being full, spooned the contents
slowly back into the cup again.

"Captain Tyrell leave any money?" he enquired.

"Other way about," replied Flower. "I lent him, altogether, close on a
hundred pounds. He was a man of very good position, but he took to drink
and lost his ship and his self-respect, and all he left behind was his
debts and his daughter."

"Well, you're in a tight place," said Fraser, "and I don't see how
you're going to get out of it. Miss Tipping's got a bit of a clue to you
now, and if she once discovers you, you're done. Besides, suppose Miss
Tyrell finds anything out?"

"It's all excitement," said Flower, cheerfully. "I've been in worse
scrapes than this and always got out of 'em. I don't like a quiet life.
I never worry about things, Jack, because I've noticed t