rge all the time peering about everywhere for
signs of weakness or bad workmanship, without finding any. Having at
length satisfied himself as to the soundness of the hull, he went aloft
and gave to the spars and rigging a careful examination. Here, too,
everything was perfectly satisfactory; and when he at length stepped
down out of the rigging on to the deck, he nodded approvingly to Mr
Roberts and said--

"All right; I'll take her."

"Glad to hear you say so, captain," was the cheery reply; "she is a
capital little craft, and I'm sure you'll like her. Now--as it is
nearly two o'clock--what say you, will you come and take dinner with
me?"

Leicester acquiescing, they made the best of their way to the
eating-house which Mr Roberts patronised, and, while discussing the
meal, made arrangements for the completion of the purchase.

The meal ended, George wended his way back toward the dock, and, turning
into Nightingale Lane, established himself in tolerably comfortable
quarters in a boarding-house kept by a widow, whose husband had been
what she called a "sea-captain."

On the following day Captain Leicester paid over the full amount of the
purchase-money, receiving in return the ship's register properly
endorsed; and that same evening he found himself the undisputed owner of
the _Aurora_.

His next task was to secure a freight. This he had no difficulty in
doing--in fact he had his choice of some half a dozen--and by noon he
had accepted a charter for the conveyance of a general cargo to
Kingston, Jamaica; to commence loading at once. Having completed the
business, he hurried away to the shipping-office, and was fortunate
enough to secure the services of a very promising-looking mate, who
undertook to establish himself on board forthwith, so as to be on the
spot in readiness to receive the cargo as it came down to the ship.

George now found himself comparatively at leisure, and he had at one
time serious thoughts of running down to Gosport, were it only for a
day, just to see Lucy once more, and bid her good-bye. Well would it
have been for both of them had he done so. But on reconsidering the
matter, he arrived at the conclusion that no good could possibly come of
any such proceeding, whilst the sight of Lucy would only too certainly
increase the pangs of regret he already so keenly felt at his failure to
win her; so he eventually decided to remain where he was, and occupy
himself in watching the stowag