n dreams and
sound investments at six per cent. He brings in a _Lloyd's News_,
arrived by the last mail.

"Ah!" The Mate is certainly making the best of it. What are the exact
components of the drink I cannot determine, but the resultant is
without blemish; eggs, milk, brandy, rum--all these are in it, and the
Mate's tongue loosens.

"Have you seen this about ze _Lorenzo_, mister?" asks Nicholas.

"What's that?"

Nicholas (reading): "'Ze _Lorenzo_, bound from New Yawk to Cuba with
coke, met with heavy gales off Cape Hatteras, and has put back into
Norfolk in a disabled condition. Two blades of her propeller are
broken, and she is leaking badly amidships. She is to undergo a
special survey before proceeding further.'"

The Mate's visage is wrinkled, his mouth is pursed up as he sets down
his glass and adjusts his spectacles to read, and he nods his head.

"See, now, 'tis two years, two years an' a half, since I left her.
Nicholas, you were there then, were ye not?"

"Ess, mister. She was on the Western Ocean trade then, too."

"Aye! Lumber out o' St. John's to Liverpool." He lays down the paper.
"Mr. McAlnwick, now wait while I tell ye. Ye talk of honesty at sea? I
joined that ship in Glasgow, an' we signed on for the voy'ge, winter
North Atlantic. General cargo for St. John's, Newf'unlan', with deals
to bring back to Liverpool. And, though _you_ may consider me
superstitious, not havin' been long at sea" (Nicholas stands, legs
apart, glass in hand, head nodding sagely), "not havin' been long at
sea, I say, 'twas the Second and Fourth engineers who brought us black
luck!"

"How, Mr. Honna?"

"This way. Nicholas, sit ye down and listen. I was Mate, as I am here.
I went up from London and joined her, an' the Chief, who's here now,
was thick as thieves with the old man, an' was courtin' the youngest
daughter, tho' he never married her--_he_ came to lay down the law to
me. There was a spare stateroom for'ard of the alley-way, port side.
The door was locked, an' I wanted it open. Ses he, ''Tis locked.' Ses
I, 'I want it open.' Ses he, 'Who are you?' Ye know his way, Mr.
McAlnwick? Ses I, 'I'm the Mate o' this ship, an', by Gawd, if that
door isn't opened smart, ye're a better man than I am.' And I took off
me coat. 'Oh,' ses he, ''tis all right, mister, I'll have it opened.'
Ye see, there was women aboard, an' the Second and Fourth were
responsible."

"They were inside!" snickers Nicholas, looking at his cigar