rceness of another passion. He must contrive
somehow not to miss a drawing. That number meant something. But what
expedient could he contrive to keep himself going?

"Wretched miser!" he mumbled.

If Mr. Sterne could at no time have told him anything new about his
partner, he could have told Mr. Sterne that another use could be made of
a man's affliction than just to kick him out, and thus defer the term of
a difficult payment for a year. To keep the secret of the affliction
and induce him to stay was a better move. If without means, he would be
anxious to remain; and that settled the question of refunding him his
share. He did not know exactly how much Captain Whalley was disabled;
but if it so happened that he put the ship ashore somewhere for good and
all, it was not the owner's fault--was it? He was not obliged to know
that there was anything wrong. But probably nobody would raise such a
point, and the ship was fully insured. He had had enough self-restraint
to pay up the premiums. But this was not all. He could not believe
Captain Whalley to be so confoundedly destitute as not to have some more
money put away somewhere. If he, Massy, could get hold of it, that would
pay for the boilers, and everything went on as before. And if she
got lost in the end, so much the better. He hated her: he loathed the
troubles that took his mind off the chances of fortune. He wished her
at the bottom of the sea, and the insurance money in his pocket. And
as, baffled, he left Captain Whalley's cabin, he enveloped in the same
hatred the ship with the worn-out boilers and the man with the dimmed
eyes.

And our conduct after all is so much a matter of outside suggestion,
that had it not been for his Jack's drunken gabble he would have there
and then had it out with this miserable man, who would neither help, nor
stay, nor yet lose the ship. The old fraud! He longed to kick him out.
But he restrained himself. Time enough for that--when he liked. There
was a fearful new thought put into his head. Wasn't he up to it after
all? How that beast Jack had raved! "Find a safe trick to get rid of
her." Well, Jack was not so far wrong. A very clever trick had occurred
to him. Aye! But what of the risk?

A feeling of pride--the pride of superiority to common prejudices--crept
into his breast, made his heart beat fast, his mouth turn dry. Not
everybody would dare; but he was Massy, and he was up to it!

Six bells were struck on deck. Eleven! He