n. Billy listened in silence,
and, by silence, had assented to the falsehood. It was too late now to
mend matters, so he gave way to despair, which in him frequently, if not
usually, assumed the form of reckless joviality.

While this spirit was strong upon him he swore to anything. He not only
admitted the truth of all that his tempter advanced, but entertained the
seamen with a lively and graphic account of the running down of the
Skylark, and entered into minute particulars--chiefly of a comical
nature--with such recklessness that the cause of Mr Jones bade fair to
resemble many a roast which is totally ruined by being overdone. Jones
gave him a salutary check, however, on being landed next day at a
certain town on the Kentish coast, so that when Billy was taken before
the authorities, his statements were brought somewhat more into accord
with those of his tempter.

The wily Mr Jones went at once with Billy to the chief officer of the
coast-guard on that station, and reported the loss of his vessel with
much minuteness of detail--to the effect that she had sailed from London
at noon of a certain date, at the quarter ebb tide, the sky being cloudy
and wind sou'-west; that the casualty occurred at five p.m. on the day
following near the North Foreland Light, at half flood tide, the sky
being cloudy and wind west-sou'-west; that the vessel had sunk, and all
the crew had perished excepting himself and the boy. This report, with
full particulars, was sent to the Board of Trade. Mr Jones then went
to the agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society and related his
pitiful tale to him. That gentleman happening to be an astute man,
observed some discrepancies in the accounts given respectively by Billy
and his master. He therefore put a variety of puzzling questions, and
took down a good many notes. Mr Jones, however, had laid his plans so
well, and gave such a satisfactory and plausible account of himself,
that the agent felt constrained to extend to him the aid of the noble
Society which he represented, and by which so much good is done to
sailors directly, and indirectly to the community at large. He paid
their passage to London, but resolved to make some further inquiries
with a view either to confirming or allaying his suspicions.

These little matters settled, and the loss having been duly advertised
in the newspapers, Mr Jones set out for London with the intention of
presenting his claims to the Insurance C