indulging in the usual
argument as to whether he should go indoors for a minute or not, when a
man holding a handkerchief to his bleeding face appeared suddenly round
the corner of the house and, making a wild dash for the gate, nearly
overturned the owner.

[Illustration: Holding a handkerchief to his bleeding face 134]

"It looks like our milkman!" said Hartley, recovering his balance and
gazing in astonishment after the swiftly retreating figure. "I wonder
what was the matter with him?"

"He would soon know what was the matter with him if I got hold of him,"
said the wrathful captain.

Hartley opened the door with his key, and the captain, still muttering
under his breath, passed in. Rosa's voice, raised in expostulation,
sounded loudly from the kitchen, and a man's voice, also raised, was
heard in response.

"Sounds like my bo'sun," said the captain, staring as he passed into the
front room. "What's he doing here?"

Hartley shook his head.

"Seems to be making himself at home," said the captain, fidgeting.
"He's as noisy as if he was in his own house."

"I don't suppose he knows you are here," said his friend, mildly.

Captain Trimblett still fidgeted. "Well, it's your house," he said at
last. "If you don't mind that lanky son of a gun making free, I suppose
it's no business of mine. If he made that noise aboard my ship--"

Red of face he marched to the window and stood looking out. Fortified by
his presence, Hartley rang the bell.

"Is there anybody in the kitchen?" he inquired, as Rosa answered it. "I
fancied I heard a man's voice."

"The milkman was here just now," said Rosa, and, eying him calmly,
departed.

The captain swung round in wrathful amazement.

"By--," he spluttered; "I've seen--well--by--b-r-r-r------ Can I ring
for that d----d bo'sun o' mine?

"Certainly," said Hartley.

The captain crossed to the fireplace and, seizing the bell-handle, gave
a pull that made the kitchen resound with wild music. After a decent
interval, apparently devoted to the allaying of masculine fears, Rosa
appeared again.

"Did you ring, sir?" she inquired, gazing at her master.

"Send that bo'sun o' mine here at once!" said the captain, gruffly.

Rosa permitted herself a slight expression of surprise. "Bo'sun, sir?"
she asked, politely.

"Yes."

The girl affected to think. "Oh, you mean Mr. Walters?" she said, at
last.

"Send him here," said the captain.

Rosa retired slowly, and shortly afterwa