t response; Joe said
that work was good for boys, and Mr. Green said that he knew a boy who
worked eighteen hours a day, and then used to do sums in his sleep to
improve his education. The other men set their wits to work then, and
proved to have so large an acquaintance with a type of boy that Tommy
loathed, that he received a mild chastisement for impertinence to his
elders and betters.

It wanted but two days to the wedding. The _Swallow_ was lying in the
river, her deck unoccupied except for Mr. Green and the boy, who were
smoking in the bows, and the ship's cat, which, with one eye on Mr.
Green, was stalking the frying-pan. Fraser had gone ashore on business
connected with his wedding-garments, and Poppy Tyrell, with all her
earthly belongings in a couple of boxes, sat in the cabin dreaming of
her future.

A boat bumped against the side of the steamer, and Mr. Green, looking
round, observed the long form of Joe scrambling over the side. His
appearance betokened alarm and haste, and Mr. Green, after a brief
remark on the extravagance, not to say lordliness, of a waterman's skiff
when a hail would have taken the ship's boat to him, demanded to know
what was the matter.

"Send that boy below," said Joe, hastily.

"What for?" enquired the gentleman interested, rebelliously.

"You go below," repeated Joe, sternly, "'fore I take you by the scruff
o' your little neck and drop you down."

The boy, with a few remarks about the rights of man in general and
ships' boys in particular, took his departure, and Joe, taking the
startled Mr. Green by the arm, led him farther aft.

"You've got a 'ead on you Will-yum, I know," he said, in a fierce
whisper.

"People have said so," remarked the other, modestly. "What's the row?"

For answer, Joe pointed to the cabin, and that with so much expression
on his features that Mr. Green, following his gaze, half expected to see
something horrible emerge from the companion.

"It's all up," said the tall seaman, poetically. "You can put the
wedding-dress away in brown paper, and tell the church bells as there is
no call for 'em to ring: Cap'n Flower has turned up ag'in."

"WHAT?" cried the astonished Mr. Green.

"I see 'im," replied Joe. "I was just goin' on the wharf as I passed to
speak to old George, when I see 'im talking to 'im. He didn't see me,
an' I come off 'ere as fast as my legs could carry me. Now, wot's to be
done? You've got the 'ead-piece."

Mr. Green scratched t