_Fair Maid_?"

As soon as he had heard my voice his apprehensions vanished. He gazed
at me for a minute, as if undecided what to do, and then, putting on a
smile, stepped forward and shook me by the hand.

"And how did you get here?" he asked. "We thought we had left you in
Yarmouth."

Not thinking any concealment needful, I told him my story, which he
listened to very attentively. At the end he spoke some words to the
Morattoe, who went out of the cabin.

"Sit down and make yourself comfortable," he said to me. "Our men are
all gone ashore, but the captain will come off presently and be right
glad to see you safe again."

"I can't stay long," I told him, "because I have only got leave for a
couple of hours."

At this he smiled a little queerly, but pulled out a bottle of rum and
some glasses, and prevailed on me to take a drink with him. We sat
thus for some time, talking, and he told me that the ship had been out
there for more than a month, having escaped some of the headwinds we
had had to contend with.

"And what of Mrs. Rising?" I said at last, for I had been shy of
putting this question to such a man. "I understand she took passage
with you."

He grinned at this, rather maliciously.

"I thought you'd come to that," he said. "I didn't suppose it was for
love of your comrades that you had come on board so quickly. As for
Mistress Marian, she's ashore, and for her address I may refer you to
the captain when he finds you here."

"The captain is rather slow in coming," I observed, getting on to my
feet. "I think I must be going ashore."

With that I walked out of the cabin, Trickster Tim following at my
heels. When I got on to the deck, I stared about me in dismay. Not a
sign could I see of my boatman.

"What's become of that fellow who brought me out?" I cried, turning to
my companion.

The scoundrel laughed in my face.

"I sent word to him not to wait for you," he coolly replied, "as I
thought maybe you'd rather stay with us."

"Rascal!" I shouted, taking him roughly by the arm. "What is the
meaning of this villainy?"

"There's the captain; you'd better ask him," he answered.

And turning round as the sound of oars smote on my ears, I perceived a
boat coming alongside, and seated upright in the stern the very man of
all others whom I had never thought or wished to see again. It was my
cousin Rupert.

He caught sight of me at the same moment, and a fierce scowl passed
across his brow.

"W