ced up for a squint at the sails. It
was the regular patrol of a schooner captain.

In spite of his absorption in his task, Mayo could not resist taking
an occasional swift peep at the passenger. The young man's demeanor had
become so peculiar that it attracted attention. He looked worried, ill
at ease, smoked his cigarettes nervously, flung over the rail one which
he had just lighted, and started for the captain, his mouth open. Then
he turned away, shielded a match under the hood of the companionway, and
touched off another cigarette. He was plainly wrestling with a problem
that distressed him very much.

At last he hurried below. He came up almost immediately. He had the air
of a man who had made up his mind to have a disagreeable matter over
with.

"Captain Downs," he blurted, stepping in front of Old Mull and halting
that astonished skipper, "will you please step down into the cabin with
me for a few moments? I've something to tell you."

"Well, tell it--tell it here!" barked the captain.

"It's very private, sir!"

"I don't know of any privater place than this quarterdeck, fifteen miles
offshore."

"But the--the man at the wheel!"

"Good Josephus! That ain't a man! That's a nigger sailor steering my
schooner. Tell your tale, Mr. Bradish. Tell it right here. That fellow
don't count any more 'n that rudder-head counts."

"If you could step down into the cabin, I--"

"My place is on this quarter-deck, sir. If you've got anything to say to
me, say it!" He began to pace again.

Bradish caught step, after a scuff or two.

"I hope you're going to take this thing right, Captain Downs. It may
sound queer to you at first," he stammered.

"Well, well, well, tell it to me--tell it! Then I will let you know
whether it sounds queer or not."

"I brought another passenger on board with me. She is locked in a
stateroom."

Old Mull stopped his patrol with a jerk. "She?" he demanded. "You mean
to tell me you've got a woman aboard here?"

"We're engaged--we want to get married. So she came along--"

"Then why in tophet didn't ye go get married? You don't think this is a
parsonage, do you?"

"There were reasons why we couldn't get married ashore. You have to have
licenses, and questions are asked, and we were afraid it would be found
out before we could arrange it."

"So this is an elopement, hey?"

"Well, the young lady's father has foolish ideas about a husband for his
daughter, and she doesn't agree with