owner?"

Mayo opened his mouth and then promptly closed it. He could not reveal
the nature of the trouble between himself and his former employer.

"We had words," he said, stiffly.

"Yes, I reckon so! But the rest of it!"

"That's all."

"You needn't tell me any more than you feel like doing, of course," said
Captain Trott. "But I have to tell _you_ that Mr. Marston has come out
with some pretty fierce talk for an owner to make. He has made quite a
business of circulating that talk. I didn't realize that you are of so
much importance in the world, Mayo," he added, dryly.

"I don't know what he is saying."

"Didn't you leave him in the night--without notice, or something of the
kind?"

"It was an accident."

"I hope you have a good story to back you up, Captain Mayo, for I have
liked you mighty well ever since meeting you first. What is behind it?"

"I can't tell you."

"But you can tell somebody--somebody who can straighten the thing out
for you, can't you?"

"No, Captain Trott."

"Well, you know what has happened in your case, don't you?" The skipper
of the _Sprite_ exhibited a little testiness at being barred out of
Mayo's confidence.

The young man shook his head.

"Marston claims that you mutinied and deserted him--slipped away in the
night--threw up your job on the high seas--left him to work to New York
with a short crew--the mate as captain."

"That's an infernal lie!"

"Then come forward and show him up."

"I cannot talk about the case. I have my reasons--good ones!"

"I'm sorry for you, Mayo. You are done in the yachting game, I'm afraid.
He'll blacklist you in every yacht club from Bar Harbor to Miami. I
have heard my folks talking about it. He seems to have a terrible
grudge--more than a big man usually bothers about in the case of a
skipper."

Mayo set his oar against the edge of the platform and pushed off. The
skipper called after him, but he was instantly swallowed up by the fog
and did not reply.

On board the _Ethel and May_ his ragged but cheery crew were baiting up,
hooking clams upon the ganging hooks, and coiling lines into tubs. The
men grinned greeting when he swung over the rail. He scowled at them; he
even turned a glowering look on Captain Candage when he met the latter
on the quarter-deck.

"Yes, sir! I see how it is! You're getting cussed sick of this two-cent
game here," said Candage, mournfully. "I don't blame ye. We ain't in
your class, here, Captain Mayo."