oken to Mr
Cooper, and he says the repairs are quite sufficient."

"Well, then, I suppose they are so."

"I assure you, sir," rejoined Harry, "they are not; and as the lives of
passengers as well as men depend upon the vessel being in a seaworthy
condition, I do trust that you will have her examined by some one more
competent to judge than Mr Cooper."

"I have no doubt of Mr Cooper's competence," returned Mr Webster; "but
I will order a further examination, as you seem so anxious about it.
Meanwhile I hope that the ship is being got ready for sea as quickly as
possible."

"There shall be no delay on my part, sir," said Harry, rising; "the ship
has been removed from the Birkenhead Docks, in which you are aware she
has lain for the last eight months, and is now lying in the Brunswick
Dock, taking in cargo. But I think it a very serious matter, which
demands looking into, the fact that she had no sooner grounded in the
dock, than she sprang a leak which instantly let twenty-eight inches of
water into her, and twice, subsequently, as much as forty inches have
been sounded. Yet no repairs worthy of the name have been made. All
that has been done is the pumping of her out daily by the stevedore's
men when their stowing work is finished."

"Has the agent for the underwriters visited her?" inquired Mr Webster.

"He has, sir, but he seems to be of opinion that his responsibility is
at an end because a surveyor from the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board had
previously visited her, and directed that she should not be loaded
deeper than twenty-one feet--chalking on the side amidships the six feet
six inches clear beneath which she is not to be allowed to sink."

"Well, well," said Mr Webster, somewhat impatiently, "I will have the
matter looked into. Good morning, Captain Boyns."

The captain bowed and left the office, and Mr Webster leant back in his
chair, clasped his hands, twirled his thumbs, and smiled grimly at the
old gentleman over the fireplace.

True to his word, however, he had an inspection made of the _Swordfish_.
The inspector was of a kindred spirit with Mr Webster, so that his
report was naturally similar to that of Mr Cooper. Nothing, therefore,
was done to the vessel--"nothing being needed"--and the loading went on
in spite of the remonstrances of Captain Harry Boyns, who, with all the
energy and persistency of his character, continued to annoy, worry, and
torment every one who possessed the faintest r