oing to do with you, do you
think? Get up and clear out of the house before I take my boot to you."

He got up and began to brush his clothes.

"I want my fifty pound," he cried.

"You'll get more than you want if you come here again," I said. "Out you
go!"

With that I got him by the collar and dragged him out of the room across
the hall, much to the butler's astonishment, through the front door, and
then kicked him down the steps. He fell in a heap on the gravel.

"All right, my fine bloke," he said as he lay there; "you wait till I
get you outside. I'll fix you up, and don't you make no mistake."

I went back to the dining-room without paying any attention to his
threats. Both Mr. Wetherell and Beckenham had been witnesses of what had
occurred, and now they questioned me concerning his visit. I gave them
an outline of the story the man had told me and convinced them of its
absurdity. Then Mr. Wetherell rose to his feet.

"Now shall we go and see McMurtough?"

"Certainly," I said; "I'll be ready as soon as you are."

"You will come with us, I hope, Lord Beckenham?" Wetherell said.

"With every pleasure," answered his lordship, and thereupon we went off
to get ready.

Three-quarters of an hour later we were sitting in Mr. McMurtough's
office. The upshot of the interview was that Mr. McMurtough fell in with
our plans as soon as we had uttered them, and expressed himself
delighted to lend his yacht in such a good cause.

"I only wish I could come with you," he said; "but unfortunately that is
quite impossible. However, you are more than welcome to my boat. I will
give you a letter, or send one to the Captain, so that she may be
prepared for sea to-day. Will you see about provisioning her, or shall
I?"

"We will attend to that," said Wetherell. "All the expenses must of
course be mine."

"As you please about that, my old friend," returned McMurtough.

"Where is she lying?" asked Wetherell.

The owner gave us the direction, and then having sincerely thanked him,
we set off in search of her. She was a nice craft of about a hundred and
fifty tons burden, and looked as if she ought to be a good sea boat.
Chartering a wherry, we were pulled off to her. The captain was below
when we arrived, but a hail brought him on deck. Mr. Wetherell then
explained our errand, and gave him his owner's letter. He read it
through, and having done so, said--

"I am at your service, gentlemen. From what Mr. McMurtough says h