by you, Mr Oldfield?" asked
the other. Frank coloured, and evaded the question.

"At any rate, Jacob has no real cause to be at such daggers-drawn with
him," he said.

"Do you think not? Are you aware that he was trying to knock Jacob
overboard only a few minutes ago, and that he attempted his life at the
diggings?"

"Oh, captain, it's all fancy; you're mistaken, both of you. I'm sure
you're mistaken. Juniper's not the sort of fellow--he hasn't it in
him--he hasn't the pluck to commit murder, even if he had the will to do
it."

"Ah, Mr Oldfield," cried the captain, "I say again, beware of him; you
don't know him; if you'd seen the spite in his eye that I've seen you
wouldn't talk so. He has malice enough in him to take away life, if he
felt sure he could do it without detection and punishment. And is he
not, at this very moment, stealing away from you the life of body and
soul? Don't be offended, pray, Mr Oldfield; but I say again, I can't
bear to see you drifting on to the rocks, and not lend a helping hand to
keep you off."

"I'm not offended, my kind friend," said Frank sorrowfully; "you tell
the truth, I fear, when you say I'm drifting on to the rocks; and yet I
don't mean to go on as I'm doing now, I assure you--when I touch land
again I'm going to turn over a new leaf altogether, and paste it down
over the old ones, so that I shall make quite a fresh start."

"And do you think," asked the other, "that this fellow will let you keep
your good resolutions, even if you had the wish to do so?"

"Oh yes," replied Frank, carelessly; "I've told Master Juniper that his
reign will only last on board ship; I'm to be master, and we're both to
say `good-bye' to the drink when once we set foot on shore, and he's
quite agreeable."

"Of course he is," said the captain; "he'll be willing to promise
anything for the future, if you'll only let him keep his hold on you
now. Well, sir, I've warned you, and I hope you may lay it to heart."

"I will, my good friend; indeed I will," was the reply. That evening
Frank kept himself out of Juniper's reach, much to the disgust and
annoyance of that gentleman, who began to dread lest he had over-reached
himself; and set his old master against him. It was not so, however.
Juniper had become necessary to Frank, and a day or two found them as
fast friends as ever.

And now the _Sabrina_ had accomplished half her homeward course, and
many a heart on board rejoiced in the ho