ffer her.

"Then I suppose you _would_ marry if you had something better to offer,"
said the Captain, finishing off the nail and shutting the clasp-knife
with a snap.

Again the Doctor laughed, wondered why the Captain had touched on such a
theme, and said that he couldn't exactly say what he might or might not
do if circumstances were altered.

The Captain was baffled. However, he said that circumstances _were_
altered, and, after reading over the latter part of Willum's letter,
left Lawrence to digest it at his leisure.

We need not follow him on his mission. Suffice it to say that he
carried no small amount of relief to the minds of Mrs Stoutley and her
household; and, thereafter, met Gillie by appointment at Charing Cross,
whence he went to Kensington to see a villa, with a view to purchasing
it.

At night he again essayed to move Mrs Roby's resolution, and many a
time afterwards attacked her, but always with the same result.
Although, as he said, he fought like a true-blue British seaman, and
gave her broadside after broadside as fast as he could load and fire, he
made no impression on her whatever. She had nailed her colours to the
mast and would never give in.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

IN WHICH TREMENDOUS FORCES COME TO THE CAPTAIN'S AID.

It is probable that most people can recall occasions when
"circumstances" have done for them that which they have utterly failed
to effect for themselves.

Some time after the failure of Captain Wopper's little plots and plans
in regard to Mrs Roby, "circumstances" favoured him--the wind shifted
round, so to speak, and blew right astern. To continue our metaphor, it
blew a tremendous gale, and the Captain's ends were gained at last only
by the sinking of the ship!

This is how it happened. One afternoon the Captain was walking rather
disconsolately down the Strand in company with his satellite--we might
almost say, his confidant. The street was very crowded, insomuch that
at one or two crossings they were obliged to stand a few minutes before
venturing over,--not that the difficulty was great, many active men
being seen to dodge among the carts, drays, vans, and busses with
marvellous ease and safety, but the Captain was cautious. He was wont
to say that he warn't used to sail in such crowded waters--there warn't
enough o' sea room for him--he'd rather lay-to, or stand--off-an'-on for
half a day than risk being run down by them shore-goin' crafts.

"Every