aft? Why, they'd laugh at the idea."

He laughed himself, but in a strangely mirthless fashion, and, afraid
to trust himself, went up on deck and brooded savagely apart. Nor did he
come down to breakfast until the skipper and cook had finished.

Mr. Jewell bore his new honors badly, and the inability to express their
dissatisfaction by means of violence had a bad effect on the tempers
of the crew. Sarcasm they did try, but at that the cook could more than
hold his own, and, although the men doubted his ability at first, he was
able to prove to them by actual experiment that he could cook worse than
they supposed.

[Illustration: Sarcasm they did try 056]

The brig reached her destination--Creekhaven--on the fifth day, and Mr.
Jewell found himself an honored guest at the skipper's cottage. It was
a comfortable place, but, as the cook pointed out, too large for one.
He also referred, incidentally, to his sister's love of a country life,
and, finding himself on a subject of which the other never tired, gave
full reins to a somewhat picturesque imagination.

They were back at London within the fortnight, and the skipper
learned to his dismay that Miss Jewell was absent on a visit. In these
circumstances he would have clung to the cook, but that gentleman,
pleading engagements, managed to elude him for two nights out of the
three.

On the third day Miss Jewell returned to London, and, making her way to
the wharf, was just in time to wave farewells as the brig parted from
the wharf.

From the fact that the cook was not visible at the moment the skipper
took the salutation to himself. It cheered him for the time, but the
next day he was so despondent that the cook, by this time thoroughly in
his confidence, offered to write when they got to Creekhaven and fix up
an evening.

"And there's really no need for you to come, Bert," said the skipper,
cheering up.

Mr. Jewell shook his head. "She wouldn't go without me," he said,
gravely. "You've no idea 'ow particular she is. Always was from a
child."

"Well, we might lose you," said the skipper, reflecting. "How would that
be?"

"We might try it," said the cook, without enthusiasm.

To his dismay the skipper, before they reached London again, had
invented at least a score of ways by which he might enjoy Miss Jewell's
company without the presence of a third person, some of them so
ingenious that the cook, despite his utmost efforts, could see no way of
opposing them.