urselves, and how we are to move about there when we get out with all
these things I have not the least idea."

At last the good-byes were all finished, the visitors had left the ship,
the hawsers were thrown off, and the vessel began to move slowly towards
the dock gates. As soon as she had issued through these she was seized
by a tug, and proceeded in tow down the crowded river. There was a last
waving of handkerchiefs and hats to the group of people standing at the
entrance to the docks, and then the passengers began to look round and
examine each other and the ship. Sailors were hard at work--the last
bales and boxes were being lowered into the hold, ropes were being
coiled up, and tidiness restored to the deck. Parties of seamen were
aloft loosening some of the sails, for the wind was favourable, and the
captain had ordered some of the canvas to be set to assist the tug.

"Now, Marion," Mrs. Renshaw said, "we had better go below and tidy up
things a bit. Wil, you may as well come down and help me get the trunks
stowed away under the berths, and put some hooks in for the brush-bags
and other things we have brought; the hooks and gimlet are in my
hand-bag."

Wilfrid assisted to set his mother's cabin in order, and then went to
his own. It was a good-sized cabin, and when the ship was full
accommodated four passengers; but the two upper bunks had now been taken
down, and there was, Wilfrid thought, ample room for two. On his own
bunk were piled his two portmanteaus, a gun-case, a bundle of
fishing-rods, and other odds and ends, and a somewhat similar collection
of luggage was on that opposite. Wilfred read the name on the labels.
"Atherton," he said; "I wonder what he is like. I do hope he will be a
nice fellow."

Scarcely had the thought passed through his mind when a figure appeared
at the cabin door. It was that of a tall stout man, with immensely broad
shoulders. His age Wilfrid guessed to be about thirty-five. He had a
pleasant face, and there was a humorous twinkle in his eye as the lad
looked round in astonishment at the figure completely blocking up the
doorway.

"So you are Renshaw?" the big man said. "I congratulate myself and you
that your dimensions are not of the largest. My name is Atherton, as I
daresay you have seen on my luggage. Suppose we shake hands, Renshaw? It
is just as well to make friends at once, as we have got to put up with
each other for the next five or six months. Of course you are