r?"

"As if she was just what we wanted, sir. Given me a lot of confidence
in her."

"Then as the weather is settling down you will sail again to-night?"

"No; I want to get a little more ballast aboard, and this is all a
little bit of show. We shall have more weather before long. I shan't
sail yet."

The work being pretty well done--that is, as far as work ever is done in
a small vessel--Rodd noticed that some of the men had been smartening
themselves up, and after hanging about a bit watching the captain till
he went below, Rodd saw them gather in a knot together by the forecastle
hatch, talking among themselves, till one of the party, a heavy,
dull-looking fellow, very round and smooth-faced and plump, with quite a
colour in his cheeks, came aft to where Rodd and his uncle were standing
watching the busy scene about the wharves of the inner harbour, and
discussing as to whether they should go ashore for a few hours to look
round the town.

"I am thinking, Pickle, that after such a bad night as we had, we might
just as well stay aboard and rest, and besides, as far as I can see
everything's muddy and wretched, and I fancy we should be better
aboard."

"Oh, I don't know, uncle. We needn't be long, and it will be a change.
But here's the Bun coming up to speak to you."

"The what!" cried Uncle Paul.

"That man--Rumsey."

"But why do you call him the Bun?"

"Oh, it's the men's name for him," said Rodd, laughing. "They nicknamed
him because he was such a round-faced fellow."

"Beg pardon, sir," said the man, making a tug at his forelock.

"Yes, my man; you want to speak to me?"

"Yes, sir; the lads asked me to say, sir, that as it's been a very rough
night--"

"Very, my man--very," said Uncle Paul, staring.

"They'd take it kindly, sir, if you'd give about half of us leave to go
ashore for a few hours."

"Oh, well, my man, I have no objection whatever," said Uncle Paul. "As
far as I am concerned, by all means yes."

"Thankye, sir; much obliged, sir," said the man eagerly, and pulling his
forelock again he hurried forward to join the group which had sent him
as their spokesman to ask for leave.

Rodd turned to speak to his uncle, and caught Joe Cross's eye instead,
wondering at the man's comical look at him as he closed an eye and
jerked one thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the group forward
as they began whispering together, and then, thrust forward towards the
side by his compani