before now."

"Well, we'll stay here till he does come," said the elder lady. "I'll
have his cabin, and my step-daughter'll have to put up with your bed."

"If you're not gone by the time we start, I shall have to have you put
off," said Fraser.

"Those of us who live longest'll see the most," said Mrs. Tipping,
calmly.

An hour or two passed, the mate sitting smoking with a philosophy which
he hoped the waiting mariner at the "Admiral Cochrane" would be able to
imitate. He lit the lamp at last, and going on deck, ordered the cook to
prepare supper.

Mother and daughter, with feelings of gratitude, against which they
fought strongly, noticed that the table was laid for three, and a little
later, in a somewhat awkward fashion, they all sat down to the meal
together.

"Very good beef," said Mrs. Tipping, politely.

"Very nice," said her daughter, who was ex-changing glances with the
mate. "I suppose you're very comfortable here, Mr. Fraser?"

The mate sighed. "It's all right when the old man's away," he said,
deceitfully. "He's got a dreadful temper."

"I hope you didn't get into trouble through _my_ coming aboard the other
night," said Miss Tipping, softly.

"Don't say anything about it," replied the mate, eyeing her admiringly.
"I'd do more than that for you, if I could."

Miss Tipping, catching her mother's eye, bestowed upon her a glance of
complacent triumph.

"You don't mind us coming down here, do you?" she said, languishingly.

"I wish you'd live here," said the unscrupulous Fraser; "but of course I
know you only come here to try and see that fellow Robinson," he added,
gloomily.

"I like to see you, too," was the reply. "I like you very much, as a
friend."

The mate in a melancholy voice thanked her, and to the great annoyance
of the cook, who had received strict orders from the forecastle to
listen as much as he could, sat in silence while the table was cleared.

"What do you say to a hand at cards?" he said, after the cook had
finally left the cabin.

"Three-handed cribbage," said Mrs. Tipping, quickly; "it's the only game
worth playing."

No objection being raised, the masterful lady drew closer to the table,
and concentrating energies of no mean order on the game, successfully
played hands of unvarying goodness, aided by a method of pegging which
might perhaps be best described as dot and carry one.

"You haven't seen anything of this Mr. Robinson since you were here
last, I suppose?