hat cheer, Peter!" as heartily as possible.

Singing Peter held up his hand in reply, and waved it as he shouted
back--

"What cheer! All well, praise the Lord!"

"D'ye hear that Billy?" said Luke, in a low voice. "_He_ never forgets
to praise the Lord."

When the vessels drew nearer, Peter again waved his hand, and shouted--

"I've got letters for 'ee."

"All right my hearty! I'll send for 'em."

In less than five minutes the boat of the _Evening Star_ was launched
over the side, stern-foremost, and she had scarce got fairly afloat on
the dancing waves when Joe and Luke "swarmed" into her, had the oars out
and were sweeping off so as to intercept Peter's vessel They soon
reached her, received a packet wrapped up in a bit of newspaper, and
quickly returned.

The packet contained two letters--one for the skipper, the other for the
mate--from their respective wives.

"Joe," said the skipper, when he had perused his letter, "come down
below. I want to speak to 'ee."

"That's just what I was goin' to say to yourself, for the letter from my
missis says somethin' that consarns you."

When master and mate were alone together in the cabin, each read to the
other his letter.

"My missis," said the skipper, unfolding his letter and regarding it
with a puzzled expression, "although she's had a pretty good edication,
has paid little attention to her pot-hooks--but this is how it runs--
pretty near. `Dear old man,' (she's always been an affectionate woman,
Joe, though I do treat her badly when I'm in liquor), `I hope you are
having a good time of it and that darling Billy likes the sea, and is a
good boy. My reason for writing just now is to tell you about that dear
sweet creature, Miss Ruth Dotropy. She has been down at Yarmouth again
on a visit, and of course she has been over to see me and Mrs Davidson,
in _such_ a lovely blue--' (ah! well, Joe, there's no need to read you
that bit; it's all about dress--as if dress could make Miss Ruth better
or worse! But women's minds will run on ribbons an' suchlike. Well,
after yawin' about for a bit, she comes back to the pint, an' steers a
straight course again. She goes on, after a blot or two that I can't
make nothin' of), `You'll be surprised to hear, David, that she's been
making some particular inquiries about you and me; which I don't
understand at all, and looking as if she knew a deal more than she cared
to tell. She's been asking Mrs Davidson too about it