p over after him?" suggested Miss Wheeler, softly.

"I did not," said the mate, firmly; whereupon Miss Wheeler, who was fond
of penny romance, sighed and shook her head.

"There's that pore gal upstairs," said Mrs. Wheeler, sorrowfully, "all
innocent and happy, probably expecting him to come to-night and take her
out. Emma'd better go up and break it to 'er."

"I will," said Fraser, shortly.

"Better to let a woman do it," said Mrs. Wheeler. "When our little Jemmy
smashed his finger we sent Emma down to break it to his father and bring
'im 'ome. It was ever so long before she let you know the truth, wasn't
it, father?"

"Made me think all sorts of things with her mysteries," said the dutiful
Mr. Wheeler, in triumphant corroboration. "First of all she made me
think you was dead; then I thought you was all dead--give me such a turn
they 'ad to give me brandy to bring me round. When I found out it was
only Jemmy's finger, I was nearly off my 'ed with joy."

"I'll go and tell her," interrupted Mr. Bob Wheeler, delicately, using
the inside edge of the table-cloth as a serviette. "I can do it better
than Emma can. What she wants is comforting; Emma would go and snivel
all over her."

Mrs. Wheeler, raising her head from the sofa, regarded the speaker with
looks of tender admiration, and the young man, after a lengthy glance in
the small pier-glass ornamented with coloured paper, which stood on the
mantel-piece, walked to the door.

"You needn't trouble," said Fraser, slowly; "I'm going to tell her."

Mrs. Wheeler's dull eyes snapped sharply. "She's our lodger," she said,
aggressively.

"Yes, but I'm going to tell her," rejoined the mate; "the skipper told
me to."

A startled silence was broken by Mr. Wheeler's chair, which fell
noisily.

"I mean," stammered Fraser, meeting the perturbed gaze of the
dock-foreman, "that he told me once if anything happened to him that
I was to break the news to Miss Tyrell. It's been such a shock to me I
hardly know what I am saying."

"Yes, you'll go and frighten her," said Bob Wheeler, endeavouring to
push past him.

The mate blocked the doorway.

"Are you going to try to prevent me going out of a room in my own
house?" blustered the young man.

"Of course not," said Fraser, and, giving way, ascended the stairs
before him. Mr. Wheeler, junior, after a moment's hesitation, turned
back and, muttering threats under his breath, returned to the parlour.

Miss Tyrell, who was