door
life."

"Ah, I see, sir, and now you are going to let him rough it a bit, and
make a man of him."

"Yes, a healthy man," said the doctor.

"Ah, doctor," said the captain merrily, "there's a beautifully fitted
medicine-chest in that cupboard, with plenty of physic and books of
instructions for that, and a bit of surgery; and I've had to dabble in
it a little myself. We captains often have to do that out away abroad.
Why, sir," he continued, with a queer humorous look at Jack, "I'd back
myself to give a pill to any man against all the doctors in
Christendom."

Jack looked disgusted.

"But," said the captain, "I was going to say, if our young friend here
goes off with his father on a voyage, he won't want you or any other
doctor, sir."

"And a good job too, captain," cried Doctor Instow, "for I like a bit of
travel and rest as well as any man. But you are quite right. It is
what I prescribed. Two or three years' voyage and travel."

"Well, gentlemen," said the captain, as they rose from the lunch-table;
"Mr Ensler wished everything to be straightforward and above-board; is
there anything else I can show you?"

"Well, yes," said Sir John, after exchanging glances once more with the
doctor; "I have come down on purpose to inspect this yacht, and I should
feel obliged if you would show me over it again."

"Certainly, sir," said the captain bluffly; "I have nothing else to do,
I'm sorry to say. Here I am at your service."

"And in the evening," continued Sir John, "I hope you will give me the
pleasure of your company to dinner at the hotel."

"Well, sir," said the captain, in rather a hesitating way, "I'm not much
of a dining-out sort of man, and besides, I should like you to go about
the town a bit, and make a few inquiries about me and my principal and
the yacht. Seaside people are pretty knowing, and you'll soon hear a
boat's character if you begin to ask questions."

"Oh yes, of course," said Sir John; "but we should like to know a little
more of you personally, Captain Bradleigh."

"Well, that's very kind of you, sir," said the captain bluffly. "Thank
you then, I'll come. But perhaps you gentlemen would like to go over
the yacht alone? I want to write a letter or two. You go about and
talk to my boys. They're not primed, gentlemen."

"Well, I think we will," said the doctor quickly, "Eh, Meadows?"

"Yes, Captain Bradleigh," said Sir John; "one does not decide upon a
thing like this in a