red to frequently
exhibited a ship or a boat for a few seconds.

"My study!" murmured the captain, looking round on the bare walls, and
the wooden chair, and a low bedstead which constituted the furniture.
"Not much room for the intellect to expand here. However, I've seen
worse."

"We consider it a very good hattic, sir," said the little maid, somewhat
hurt by the last remark.

"I meant no offence, my dear," said the captain, with one of his
blandest smiles, "only the berth _is_ rather small, d'ee see, for a man
of my size. It is first-rate as far as it goes, but if it went a little
further--in the direction of the sea, you know--it might give me a
little more room to kick about my legs. But it'll do. It'll do. I'll
take all the rooms, so you'll consider them engaged."

"But you haven't asked the price of 'em yet sir," said the little maid.

"I don't care tuppence about the price, my dear. Are you the landlady?"

"La! no, sir," replied the girl, laughing outright as they returned to
the parlour.

"Well then, you send the landlady to me, and I'll soon settle matters."

When the landlady appeared, the captain was as good as his word. He at
once agreed to her terms, as well as her stipulations, and paid the
first week's rent in advance on the spot.

"Now," said he, on leaving, "I'll come back this evening with a lot of
books. To-morrow forenoon, the ladies for whom the rooms are taken will
arrive, please God, and you will have everything ready and in apple-pie
order for 'em. I'll see about grub afterwards, but in the meantime you
may give orders to have sent in to-morrow a lot o' fresh eggs and milk
and cream--lots of cream--and fresh butter and tea and coffee an'
suchlike. But I needn't do more than give a wink to a lady of your
experience."

With this last gallant remark Captain Bream left the lodging and
strolled down to the sea-beach.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

RUTH'S HOPES AS TO HER PLOT BRIGHTEN A LITTLE.

"Mother," said Ruth one day to her dignified parent, "shall you be soon
free of engagements?"

"Yes, probably by the end of next week. Why do you ask?"

"Because I am longing to get away to Yarmouth. I had a letter from dear
Kate Seaward to-day. They have been a week in their lodging now, and
are enjoying it immensely. Here is the letter. Let me read a bit of it
to you. She says: `You have no idea how much we are charmed with this
place. It is a perfect paradise! Perhaps part of o