oms. He
denied that there was anything the matter with him, while his eyes openly
sought those of Captain Gibbs as though asking for instruction.

"You come home, Ted," she said at length.

"I can't," said the mate. "I can't leave the ship."

"Why not?" demanded his sister.

"Ask John," said the mate again.

At this Mrs. Gibbs's temper, which had been rising, gave way altogether,
and she stamped fiercely upon the deck. A stamp of the foot has been for
all time a rough-and-ready means of signalling; the fore-scuttle was
drawn back, and the face of a young and pretty girl appeared framed in
the opening. The mate raised his eyebrows with a helpless gesture, and
as for the unfortunate skipper, any jury would have found him guilty
without leaving the box. The wife of his bosom, with a flaming visage,
turned and regarded him.

[Illustration: "YOU VILLAIN!" SHE, SAID, IN A CHOKING VOICE]

"You villain!" she said, in a choking voice.

Captain Gibbs caught his breath and looked appealingly at the mate.

"It's a little surprise for you, my dear," he faltered, "it's Ted's young
lady."

"Nothing of the kind," said the mate, sharply.

"It's not? How dare you say such a thing?" demanded Miss Harris,
stepping on to the deck.

"Well, you brought her aboard, Ted, you know you did," pleaded the
unhappy skipper.

The mate did not deny it, but his face was so full of grief and surprise
that the other's heart sank within him.

"All right," said the mate at last; "have it your own way."

"Hold your tongue, Ted," shouted Mrs. Gibbs; "you're trying to shield
him."

"I tell you Ted brought her aboard, and they had a lover's quarrel," said
her unhappy spouse. "It's nothing to do with me at all."

"And that's why you told me Ted had got the toothache, and tried to get
me off to the chemist's, I s'pose," retorted his wife, with virulence.
"Do you think I'm a fool? How dare you ask a young woman on this barge?
How dare you?"

"I didn't ask her," said her husband.

"I s'pose she came without being asked," sneered his wife, turning her
regards to the passenger; "she looks the sort that might. You brazen-
faced girl!"

"Here, go easy, Loo," interrupted the mate, flushing as he saw the girl's
pale face.

"Mind your own business," said his sister, violently.

"It is my business," said the repentant mate. "I brought her aboard, and
then we quarrelled."

"I've no doubt," said his sister, bitterly; "it's very