ot an inch of her left. She was an old rotten tub not fit for
sea."

"Indeed! That's by no means an uncommon state of things," said Kenneth,
with some degree of warmth. "It seems to me that until men in power
take the matter up, and get a more rigid system of inspection
instituted, hundreds of lives will continue to be sacrificed every year.
It is an awful thing to think that more than a thousand lives are lost
annually on our shores, and that because of the indifference of those
who have the power, to a large extent, to prevent it. But that is not
the point on which I want to speak to you to-day. Was the `Fairy Queen'
bound for this port?"

"No; for the port of London," said Gaff, with a cautious glance at his
questioner.

"Then why did she make for Wreckumoft?" inquired Kenneth.

"That's best known to the cap'n, who's gone to his long home," said Gaff
gravely.

"Were _all_ lost except yourself?" pursued Kenneth, regarding his
companion's face narrowly; but the said face exhibited no expression
whatever as its owner replied simply--

"It's more than _I_ can tell; mayhap some of 'em were carried away on
bits o' wreck and may turn up yet."

"At all events none of them came ashore, to your knowledge?"

"I believe that every mother's son o' the crew wos lost but me," replied
Gaff evasively.

"Were none of the children saved?"

"What child'n?" asked the other quickly. "I didn't say there was
child'n aboord, did I?"

Kenneth was somewhat confused at having made this slip; and Gaff,
suddenly changing his tactics, stopped short and said--

"I tell 'ee wot it is, young man--seems to me you're pumpin' of me for
some ends of yer own as I'm not acquainted with; now, I tell 'ee wot it
is, I ain't used to be pumped. No offence meant, but I ain't used to be
pumped, an' if you've got anything to say, speak it out fair and above
board like a man."

"Well, well, Gaff," said Kenneth, flushing and laughing at the same
moment, "to say truth, I am not used to pump, as you may see, nor to be
otherwise than fair and aboveboard, as I hope you will believe; but the
fact is that a very curious thing has occurred at our house, and I am
puzzled as well as suspicious, and _very_ anxious about it."

Here Kenneth related all that he knew about the little girl having been
left at Seaside Villa, and candidly admitted his suspicion that the
child was his niece.

"But," said Gaff, whose visage was as devoid of expression as a f