ened by the
butler.

"Yes, sir. Mr Barron's with him, but of course he'll see you. Will
you step up in the drawing room? Only the young ladies there."

"No, thanks," said Stratton hurriedly. "Ask Sir Mark if he will see me
or make some appointment. Where is he?"

"In the library, sir."

"Mr Barron with him," thought Stratton as the butler showed him into
the dining room and closed the door. "Wonder what he is like. Oh!
impossible. How easily a man can be jealous."

As he stood looking up at the portrait of a lady--Myra's mother--he
fancied he heard steps in the hall, and directly after the butler
entered.

"Sir Mark will see you, sir," said the butler.

"But Mr Barron is there?"

"No, sir, just gone up to join the ladies."

Stratton winced, and the next moment was shown into the library.

"Ah, Malcolm Stratton," cried the admiral bluntly. "Come in, my dear
boy. How are you? Glad you've called. My friend Mr Barron was here.
I wanted to introduce you two. Travelled much, but he's chary of making
new friends. You'll like him, though, I'm sure. Wonderful fellow at
the management of a yacht, and a magnificent swimmer. Why, I believe
that man, sir, could swim for miles."

"Indeed, Sir Mark."

"Oh, yes; but sit down, Stratton; you are quite a stranger. Want to see
me on business?"

"Yes; I--"

But before he could get any further the admiral, who seemed in high
spirits, interrupted him.

"Pity you were not ten minutes sooner. Barron was telling me a most
amusing story of slave life in Trinidad in the old days. Wonderful fund
of anecdote. But you said business or an appointment, my dear boy. Bad
man to come to unless it's about the sea. What is it?"

Stratton made no answer for a few moments. The difficulty was how to
begin. It was not that he was strange with the admiral, for, consequent
upon the friendship formerly existing between Miss Jerrold and his
mother, Sir Mark's house had been open to him times enough. Seeing his
hesitation the old sailor smiled encouragement.

"Come, my lad," he said, "out with it. Is something wrong? Want help?"

"Yes, sir, yours," said Stratton, making his plunge, and now speaking
quickly. "The fact is, Sir Mark, I have had news this morning--glorious
news for me."

"Glad of it, my dear boy. But you looked just now as if you were going
to court-martial for running your ship aground."

"I suppose it was natural, sir. Yesterday I was a poor str