somewhere. If Breitmann had
been turned down in all the offices in New York, there must have been
some good cause. Newspapers were not passing over men of this fellow's
experience, unless he had been proved untrustworthy. Breitmann had not
told him everything; he had even told him too little. Still, he would
withhold his judgment till he heard from New York on the subject.
Cathewe hadn't been enthusiastic over the name; but Cathewe was never
inclined to enthusiasms.

Passing the angle of the freight depot brought the little harbor into
full view. A fine white yacht lay tugging at her cables.

"There's a beauty," said Fitzgerald admiringly.

"She looks as if she could take care of herself. How fresh the green
water-line looks! She'll be fast in moderate weather; a fair thousand
tons, perhaps."

"A close guess."

"I understand she belongs to my employer. I hope he takes the sea
soon. I suppose you know that I have knocked about some as a sailor."

"That will help you into the good graces of the admiral."

"How dull and uninteresting the coast-lines are here! No gardens, no
palms, nothing of beauty."

"You must remember the immensity of this coast and that our summers are
really less than three months. Here comes one who can tell us about
the yacht," cried Fitzgerald, espying the peg-legged sailor. "I say!"
he hailed, as the old sailor drew nigh; "you are on the _Laura_, are
you not?"

"Yessir. An' I've bin on her since she wus commissioned as a pleasure
yacht, sir. Capt'n."

"Ah!"

"Fought under th' commodore in th' war, sir; an' he knows me, an' I
knows him; an' when Flanagan is on th' bridge, he doesn't signal no
pilots between Key West an' St. Johns."

"I am visiting the admiral," said Fitzgerald, amused.

"Oh!" Captain Flanagan ducked, with his hand to his cap. On land, he
was likely to imitate landsmen in manners and politeness; but on board
he tipped his hat to nobody; leastwise, to nobody but Miss Laura, bless
her heart! "I reckon one o' you is th' new sec'rety."

"Yes, I am the new secretary," replied Breitmann, unsmiling.

"Furrin parts?"

"Yes."

"Well, well!" as if, while he couldn't help the fact, it was none the
less to be pitied. "You'll be comin' aboard soon, then. Off for th'
Banks. Take my word for it, you'll find her as stiddy as one o' your
floatin' hotels, sir, where you don't see no sailor but a deck hand as
swabs th' scuppers when a beam sea's on. Good morn