tor.

With native obedience and humility the child left the room, though
anxious to see and hear more.

"You have a furnished room to let I believe, ladies," said the captain,
coming at once to the point.

Jessie and Kate glanced at each other. The latter felt a strong
tendency to laugh, and the former replied:--

"We have, indeed, one small room--a very small room, in fact a mere
closet with a window in the roof,--which we are very anxious to let if
possible to a lady--a--female. It is very poorly furnished, but it is
comfortable, and we would make it very cheap. Is it about the hiring of
such a room that you come?"

"Yes, madam, it is," said the captain, decisively.

"But is the lady for whom you act," said Jessie, "prepared for a
particularly small room, and _very_ poorly furnished?"

"Yes, she is," replied the captain with a loud guffaw that made the very
windows vibrate; "in fact _I_ am the lady who wants the room. It's true
I'm not very lady-like, but I can say for myself that I'll give you less
trouble than many a lady would, an' I don't mind the cost."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Miss Seaward with a mingled look of amusement
and perplexity which she did not attempt to conceal, while Kate laughed
outright; "why, sir, the room is not much, if at all, longer than
yourself."

"No matter," returned the captain, "I'm nowise particular, an' I've been
recommended to come to you; so here I am, ready to strike a bargain if
you're agreeable."

"Pray, may I ask who recommended you?" said Jessie.

The seaman looked perplexed for a moment.

"Well, I didn't observe his name over the door," he said, "but the man
in the shop below recommended me."

"Oh? the green-grocer!" exclaimed both ladies together, but they did not
add what they thought, namely, that the green-grocer was a very
impertinent fellow to play off upon them what looked very much like a
practical joke.

"Perhaps the best way to settle the matter," said Kate, "will be to show
the gentleman our room. He will then understand the impossibility."

"That's right," exclaimed the captain; rising--and in doing so he seemed
about to damage the ceiling--"let's go below, by all means, and see the
cabin."

"It is not down-stairs," remarked Jessie, leading the way; "we are at
the top of the house here, and the room is on a level with this one."

"So much the better. I like a deck-cabin. In fact I've bin used to it
aboard my last ship."

On being ushe