severity of Miss Jewell's expression relaxed. She stole an amused
glance at the cook and, reading her instructions in his eye, began to
temporize. Ten minutes later the crew of the _Elizabeth Barstow_ in
various attitudes of astonishment beheld their commander going ashore
with his cook. The mate so far forgot himself as to whistle, but with
great presence of mind cuffed the boy's ear as the skipper turned.

For some little distance the three walked along in silence. The skipper
was building castles in the air, the cook was not quite at his ease,
and the girl, gazing steadily in front of her, appeared slightly
embarrassed.

By the time they reached Aldgate and stood waiting for an omnibus Miss
Jewell found herself assailed by doubts. She remembered that she did not
want to go to a theatre, and warmly pressed the two men to go together
and leave her to go home. The skipper remonstrated in vain, but the cook
came to the rescue, and Miss Jewell, still protesting, was pushed on to
a 'bus and propelled upstairs. She took a vacant seat in front, and the
skipper and Mr. Jewell shared one behind.

The three hours at the theatre passed all too soon, although the girl
was so interested in the performance that she paid but slight attention
to her companions. During the waits she became interested in her
surroundings, and several times called the skipper's attention to
smart-looking men in the stalls and boxes. At one man she stared so
persistently that an opera-glass was at last levelled in return.

"How rude of him," she said, smiling sweetly at the skipper.

She shook her head in disapproval, but the next moment he saw her gazing
steadily at the opera-glasses again.

"If you don't look he'll soon get tired of it," he said, between his
teeth.

"Yes, perhaps he will," said Miss Jewell, without lowering her eyes in
the least.

The skipper sat in torment until the lights were lowered and the curtain
went up again. When it fell he began to discuss the play, but Miss
Jewell returned such vague replies that it was evident her thoughts were
far away.

"I wonder who he is?" she whispered, gazing meditatingly at the box.

"A waiter, I should think," snapped the skipper.

The girl shook her head. "No, he is much too distinguished-looking," she
said, seriously. "Well, I suppose he'll know me again."

The shipper felt that he wanted to get up and smash things; beginning
with the man in the box. It was his first love episode for