and incredulity, "that a marriage, celebrated at sea by the
captain of a ship, is legal?"

Instead of answering, he counted upon his fingers.

"Three and one are four, and two are six, and two's eight, and three's
eleven, and four again's fifteen." He paused, looking up at me, and
exclaimed with as much solemnity as he could impart to his briny voice,
"If it isn't legal, all I can say is, God help fifteen of as fine a set
of children as ever a man could wish to clap eyes on--not counting the
twelve parents, that I married. But since you seem to doubt--I wish I
had the official log-books containing the entries--tell ye what I'll
do!" he exclaimed, and jumped up. "Do you know Mr. Higginson?"

"A passenger, I presume?"

"Ay, one of the shrewdest lawyers in New Zealand. I'll send for him,
and you shall hear what he says."

But on putting his head out to call for the steward, he saw Mr.
Higginson sitting at the saloon table reading. Some whispering
followed, and they both arrived, the captain carefully shutting the
door behind him. Mr. Higginson was a tall, middle-aged man, with a
face that certainly looked intellectual enough to inspire one with some
degree of confidence in anything he might deliver. He put on a pair of
pince-nez glasses, bowed to me, and took a chair. The captain began
awkwardly, abruptly, and in a rumbling voice.

"Mr. Higginson, I'll tell you in half-a-dozen words how the case
stands. No need for mystery. Mr. Barclay's out on an eloping tour.
He don't mind my saying so, for we want nothing but the truth aboard
the _Carthusian_. He's run away with that sweet young lady we took off
his yacht, and is anxious to get married, and Mrs. Barstow and Miss
Moggadore don't at all relish the situation the young lady's put
herself in, and they're for marrying her as quickly as the job can be
done."

Mr. Higginson nursed his knee and smiled at the deck with a look of
embarrassment though he had been attending to the skipper's words with
lawyer-like gravity down to that moment.

"You see," continued Captain Parsons, "that the young lady being aboard
my ship puts her under my care."

"Just so," said Mr. Higginson.

"Therefore I'm her guardian, and it's my duty to look after her."

"Just so," murmured Mr. Higginson.

"Now, I suppose you're aware, sir," continued the captain, "that the
master of a British merchantman is fully empowered to marry any couple
aboard his ship?"

"Empowered by what?"