"whatever is done later,
there's something to be done now. It's cruelty to animals to keep that
girl shut up in that stateroom any longer."

"She didn't want to come out and show herself till I had had a talk
with you, sir. I have spoken to her through the door a few times." He
straightened himself and assumed dignity. "Captain Downs, I call it
to your attention--I want you to remember that I have observed all the
proprieties since I have been on board."

Captain Downs snorted. "Proprieties--poosh! You have got her into a
nice scrape! And she's down there locked in like a cat, and probably
starving!"

"She doesn't care to eat. I think she isn't feeling very well."

"I shouldn't think she would! Go bring her up here, where she can get
some fresh air. I'll talk to her."

After a moment's hesitation Bradish went below. He returned in a little
while.

In spite of his efforts to pretend obliviousness Mayo stared hard at
the companionway, eager to look on the face of the girl. But she did not
follow her lover.

"She doesn't feel well enough to come on deck," reported Bradish. "But
she is in the saloon. Captain Downs, won't you go and talk to her and
say something to make her feel easy in her mind? She is very nervous.
She is frightened."

"I'm not much of a ladies' man," stated Old Mull. But he pulled off his
cap and smoothed his grizzled hair.

"And if you could only say that you're going to help us!" pleaded the
lover. "We throw ourselves on your mercy, sir."

"I ain't much good as a life-raft in this love business." He started for
the companionway.

"But don't tell her that you will not marry us--not just now. Wait till
she is calmer."

"Oh, I sha'n't tell her! Don't worry!" said Captain Downs, with a grim
set to his mouth. "All she, or you, gets out of me can be put in a
flea's eye."

He disappeared down the steps, and Bradish followed. A mate had come
aft, obeying the master's hand-flourish, and he took up the watch. In a
little while Mayo was relieved. He went forward, conscious that he was
a bit irritated and disappointed because he had not seen the heroine of
this love adventure, and wondering just a bit at his interest in that
young lady.

An hour later Mayo, coiling down lines in the alley outside the
engine-room, overheard a bulletin delivered by the one-eyed cook to the
engineer.

The cook had trotted forward, his sound eye bulging out and thus mutely
expressing much astonishment. "There's a