ass battleship off the Medway, and with
a thoughtfulness too often lacking at sea, stood by and lowered a boat,
whereupon the captain, who had been worrying about his paint, invented,
in his surprise, a brand-new adjective for the use of senior officers of
the British Navy.

Over three months had elapsed since the _Golden Cloud_ set out on her
long voyage; three months during which Fraser, despite his better sense,
had been a constant visitor of Poppy Tyrell's, and had assisted her
in the search for fresh lodgings to avoid the attentions of Mr. Bob
Wheeler, who, having discovered her whereabouts, had chosen to renew his
suit.

On two or three occasions the girl had accompanied him on board the
steamer, and at such times it was Mr. Green's pleasure to wink in a
frenzied manner at Mr. Joe Smith and to make divers bets of pints of
beer, which made that thirsty soul half crazy to listen to. He also said
that any one with half an eye could see what was in the wind.

"And a very nice couple they'll make, too," said Joe, solemnly.

"An' what about Cap'in Flower?" suggested Mr. Green; "she's evident
the young lady he was talking about that night, and Tommy's heard 'em
speaking about him once or twice, too."

Joe shuffled uneasily. He was beginning to entertain a considerable
regard for his new skipper, dating from the time he discovered that
his sinister suspicions concerning him were unfounded. He had moreover
conceived a dog-like admiration for Poppy Tyrell.

"That's 'is business," he said, shortly; "judging by what you 'eard in
that pub, Cap'in Flower knows where to put 'is hand on one or two more
if 'e wants 'em."

He walked off in dudgeon, ignoring a question by Mr. Green as to whose
foot kep' the door open, and felt dimly the force of the diction that
no man can serve two masters; and, with a view to saving himself worry,
dismissed the matter from his mind until some weeks afterwards it was
forcibly revived by the perusal of a newspaper which the engineer had
brought on board. Without giving himself time for due reflection, he ran
up on deck and approached the skipper.

"_Golden Cloud's_ in the paper as overdue, sir," he said, respectfully.

"What is?" enquired Fraser, sharply.

"_Golden Cloud_, sir; boat Cap'in Flower is on," said Joe, slowly.

Fraser regarded him sternly. "What do you know about it?" he asked.

Joe looked round helplessly. At such moments Willyum Green was a tower
of strength, but at the p