ip with a wary eye on the scuttle.

"Come here," said the skipper.

"Anything wrong?" inquired the mate, retreating a couple of paces in
disorder.

"Come--here!" repeated the skipper.

The mate advanced slowly, and in response to an imperative command from
the skipper slowly descended and stood regarding him nervously.

"Yes; you may look," said the skipper, with sudden ferocity. "This is
all your doing. Where are you going?"

He caught the mate by the coat as he was making for the ladder, and
hauled him back again.

"You'll go when I've finished with you," he said, grimly. "Now, what do
you mean by it? Eh? What do you mean by it?"

"That's all right," said the mate, in a soothing voice. "Don't get
excited."

"Look at me!" said the skipper. "All through your interfering. How dare
you go making inquiries about me?"

"Me?" said the mate, backing as far as possible. "Inquiries?"

"What's it got to do with you if I stay out all night?" pursued the
skipper.

"Nothing," said the other, feebly.

"What did you go to the police about me for, then?" demanded the skipper.

"Me?" said the mate, in the shrill accents of astonishment. "Me?
I didn't go to no police about you. Why should I?"

"Do you mean to say you didn't report my absence last night to the
police?" said the skipper, sternly.

"Cert'nly not," said the mate, plucking up courage. "Why should I? If
you like to take a night off it's nothing to do with me. I 'ope I know
my duty better. I don't know what you're talking about."

"And the police haven't been watching the ship and inquiring for me?"
asked the skipper.

The mate shook his bewildered head. "Why should they?" he inquired.

The skipper made no reply. He sat goggle-eyed, staring straight before
him, trying in vain to realize the hardness of the heart that had been
responsible for such a scurvy trick.

"Besides, it ain't the fust time you've been out all night," remarked the
mate, aggressively.

The skipper favored him with a glance the dignity of which was somewhat
impaired by his complexion, and in a slow and stately fashion ascended to
the deck. Then he caught his breath sharply and paled beneath the
coaldust as he saw Sergeant Pilbeam standing on the quay, opposite the
ship. By his side stood Miss Pilbeam, and both, with a far-away look in
their eyes, were smiling vaguely but contentedly at the horizon. The
sergeant appeared to be the first to see the skipper.