consult tells me that I
must take a long holiday in the open air. I have therefore decided to
go on a yachting cruise--to the West Indies, probably--and I want you to
take command of the ship for me. She is a brand-new, three-hundred-and-
forty-ton steam-yacht, of eight hundred indicated horse-power, and her
guaranteed sea speed is twenty-two knots."

Milsom pursed up his lips and gave vent to a prolonged whistle as Jack
enunciated these particulars; then his features relaxed into a broad
smile as he extended his right hand across the table to Jack,
exclaiming:

"I'm your man! As I came along in the train this morning I was
cogitating what was the smallest amount of pay that I would take for
this job--whatever it might be; but, by the piper, Jack, the mere
pleasure of commanding such a craft would be payment enough for me, and
I'm quite willing to take it on free, gratis, and for nothing, if you
say so."

"The pay," said Jack, "will be at the rate of thirty pounds sterling per
calendar month, with uniform and your keep, of course, thrown in."

"Good enough!" exclaimed Milsom enthusiastically. "You may take it that
upon these terms I accept the command of the--what's her name?"

"She is so new," said Jack, "that she has not yet been given a name. At
present she is known simply as Number 78. But"--lowering his voice--"I
have not yet told you everything; you had better wait until you have
heard all that I have to say before you definitely decide. Meanwhile,
here comes your steak and some fresh coffee, so you had better get your
breakfast; and when you have finished we will both go up to my private
room."

"Right ho!" acquiesced Milsom, who forthwith turned his attention to his
second breakfast, saying very little more until he intimated that he had
finished, and was now quite ready to resume the discussion of the matter
that had brought him up to town. Accordingly, Jack conducted his friend
up to his private sitting-room, waved him into a chair, and took one
himself.

"Ah!" exclaimed Milsom, in a tone that conveyed his complete
satisfaction with things in general; "this is all right. I suppose, by
the way, a chap may smoke here, mayn't he?"

"Of course," said Jack; "smoke away as hard as you please, old man.
Have a cigar?"

"No, thanks," answered the Navy man; "good, honest, stick tobacco,
smoked out of a well-seasoned brier, is good enough for me--unless one
can get hold of a real, genuine Havana, you