hwith evaporated in its unconscious humor. Everybody laughed, even
the girl herself, and Boyle grunted:

"Huh, shows the beggar's good taste, anyhow."

Courtenay, perhaps, thought that if he encountered Ventana again he
would take the opportunity to reason with him in the approved manner of
the high seas. And, as there was no need to prolong a topic which
caused Elsie any sort of embarrassment, he hastened to say:

"I have brought names into the discussion largely to show what a
doubtful field is opened once we begin to suspect without real cause.
The only witness of any value we have on board is Frascuelo, and his
evidence merely goes to prove a secret design to interfere with, or
control, the trimming of the bunker. That particular hatch must be
sealed, and the specimens we have secured put away under lock and key.
I feel assured that the remainder of our coal is above suspicion. We
can carry the inquiry no further while we remain here. Now, Mr.
Walker, you have something of a more cheering nature to communicate, I
think."

The engineer grinned genially.

"I don't wish to bind myself to a day or so, Miss Maxwell and
gentlemen," he said, "but I've had a good look at the damage, an' I
feel pwitty shu-aw I'll get up steam in one boil-aw within ten days or
a fawt-night. It'll be a makeshift job at the best, because I have so
few spa-aw fittin's, an' no chance of makin' a castin', but I'll bet a
ye'aw's scwew the _Kansas_ gets a move on her undaw her own steam soon
aftaw New Ye-aw's Day."

New Year's Day! What a lump in the throat the words brought. In three
days it would be Christmas, in seven more the New Year! Though, from
the beginning of the voyage, they were prepared to pass both festivals
at sea, there was all the difference in the world between a steady
progress towards home and friends and the present plight of the
_Kansas_. Death, too, had thrown its shadow over them. Some there
were to whom the passing of the years would mean no more in this world.
Others, the great majority of the ship's company, were probably hidden
by the same eternal silence; the last sight they had of them was a dim
vision of boats rushing into a chaos of angry seas and sheeted spray.

But Courtenay would have none of these mournful memories. He had
solved the mystery of the ship's breakdown, and an expert mechanical
engineer had just pledged his reputation to restore wings to the
_Kansas_--somewhat clipped wings, it is