By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her wave-swept,
bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, was running before a
warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps were only attended to twice in
every watch.

Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the French priest
were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and blankets spread out for them
by Otway and the steward. Lacy, with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro
smoking his pipe, and laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to
make his wife smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the
second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the ladies rose
to go below, so as to be out of the way.

"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate cheerfully,
"ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many sweet, bonny faces will
mak' us work a' the better. And how are ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink
roses are in your cheeks once mair." And then he stepped quickly up to
the young clergyman and took his hand.

"Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae my way.
Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, "and ye called
upon Him, and He heard us."

"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw his wife's
eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. Then he plucked the
American captain by the sleeve and went below, and Sukie de Boos laughed
loudly when in another minute they heard the pop of a bottle of soda
water. She ran to the skylight and bent down.

"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of Father
Roget--even if you don't think of us poor women. Mr. Otway, come here,
you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! Go below and get a glass of
port wine for Father Roget, a bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my
sister and myself, and a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some
biscuits, too."

"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was indeed
dirty-faced and ragged.

Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way down he put
his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She returned his kisses
with interest, and laughingly smacked his cheek.

"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, one, two,
three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of the clergy, above
and below--those on board this ship I mean, not those who are in heaven
or elsewhere."

* * * * *

Ten days