you know. You can't always be coming here worrying."

"We shall come whenever we choose," said Mrs. Tipping. "In the first
place, we want to see Mr. Robinson; anyway we intend to see Captain
Flower, so you can save that fat old man the trouble of telling us lies
about him."

"Captain Flower fell overboard night before last, if that's what you
mean," said Fraser, gravely.

"I never saw such a man in all my life," exclaimed Mrs. Tipping,
wrathfully. "You're a perfect--what's the man's name in the Scriptures?"
she asked, turning to her daughter.

Miss Tipping, shaking her head despondently, requested her parent not to
worry her.

"Well, it doesn't signify. I shall wait here till he comes," said Mrs.
Tipping.

"What, Ananias?" cried Fraser, forgetting himself.

Mrs. Tipping, scorning to reply, stood for some time gazing thoughtfully
about her. Then, in compliance with her whispered instructions, her
daughter crossed to the side and, brushing aside the outstretched hand
of the watchman, reached the jetty and walked into the office. Two of
the clerks were still working there, and she came back hastily to her
mother with the story of the captain's death unmistakably confirmed.

Mrs. Tipping, loath to accept defeat, stood for some time in
consideration. "What had Captain Flower to do with Mr. Robinson?" she
asked at length, turning to Fraser.

"Can't say," was the reply.

"Have you ever seen Mr. Robinson?" enquired the girl.

"I saw him one night," said the other, after some deliberation. "Rather
good-looking man, bright blue eyes, good teeth, and a jolly laugh."

"Are you likely to see him again?" enquired Miss Tipping, nodding in
confirmation of these details.

"Not now poor Flower's gone," replied Fraser. "I fancy we shipped some
cases of rifles for him one night. The night you first came. I don't
know what it all was about, but he struck me as being rather a secretive
sort of man."

"He was that," sighed Miss Tipping, shaking her head.

"I heard him say that night," said the mate, forgetful of his recent
longings after truth, "that he was off abroad. He said that something
was spoiling his life, I remember, but that duty came first."

"There, do you hear that, mother?" said Miss Tipping.

"Yes, I hear," said the other, with an aggressive sniff, as she moved
slowly to the side. "But I'm not satisfied that the captain is dead.
They'd tell us anything. You've not seen the last of me, young man, I
can tel