xperience, had ever set eyes on. Indeed, one would almost have been
excused for assuming that, but for her size, she might have been a
private yacht at some period of her existence. Flush-decked, with a
graceful curving run, a clipper bow with gilt figure-head, and a long,
overhanging counter, the hull painted a particularly pleasing shade of
dark green down to within a couple of feet of the water-line, and
polished black below that, she made a picture completely satisfying to
the eye of the most exacting critic. She was rigged as a topsail
schooner, and her funnel was tall, oval-shaped, and cream-coloured.
Indeed, anything less like the traditional tramp steamer, and more
resembling a gentleman's yacht, it would have been difficult to find.

By the look of her, too, thought Frobisher, she should be able to show a
pretty fair turn of speed, if she were put to it--sixteen knots at the
least, the young lieutenant judged--and the idea occurred to him that
possibly, some time in the future, the lives of her crew might depend
upon those few extra knots of which she appeared capable.

However, it would not do to stand there admiring the ship. "Business
before pleasure," the young man reminded himself; and, involuntarily
straightening himself up as though about to board a man-of-war,
Frobisher marched across the gangway, and asked the first seaman he met
whether Captain Drake was aboard.

"He's in the chart-house at this moment, sir," answered the man; "I'll
take you to him." And a minute later Frobisher found himself ducking
his head in order to get in through the low chart-house door-way.

"Hillo! it's you already, is it?" exclaimed Drake, looking up from a
chart over which he was poring. "I didn't expect to see you until this
afternoon. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I hope you've come
to tell me that we are to be shipmates for this cruise," he added,
eagerly. "If I can't persuade you to come in with me, I shall be
obliged to sail shorthanded, for I've no time to do any more looking
round now."

"Then you can make your mind easy," laughed Frobisher. "To tell you the
simple truth, I believe I had practically made up my mind to sail with
you before I said good-bye to you yesterday. Yes, I'm coming, skipper;
and I hope, for both our sakes, that the voyage will turn out as
successfully as you desire."

"Good man!" heartily ejaculated the skipper, thrusting out his hand.
"That's the best news I've heard