ck-foreman.

"Don't interfere, father," said Mrs. Wheeler somewhat sharply. "I'm sure
Mr. Fraser needn't mind saying anything before us. It's nothing he's
ashamed of, I'm sure."

"Certainly not," said Fraser, sternly, "but it's quite private for all
that. Will you put your hat on and come out a little way, Miss Tyrell?"

"That I'm sure she won't," said the energetic Mrs. Wheeler. "She's that
particular she won't even go out with Bob, and they're like brother and
sister almost. Will she, Bob?"

Mr. Bob Wheeler received the appeal somewhat sullenly, and in a low
voice requested his parent not to talk so much. Fraser, watching Poppy
closely, saw with some satisfaction a tinge of colour in her cheek,
and what in any other person he would have considered a very obstinate
appearance about her shapely chin.

"I'll get my hat on, if you'll wait a minute," she said, quietly.

She rose and went upstairs, and Fraser with a cheerful glance at Mrs.
Wheeler entered into conversation with her husband about overside work
in the docks, until the door was pushed open a little to reveal Miss
Tyrell ready for walking.

They walked on for some little time in silence. The sun had set,
and even in the close streets of Poplar the evening air was cool and
refreshing. When this fact had thoroughly impressed itself on Mr.
Fraser's mind he communicated it to Miss Tyrell.

"It's very pleasant," she answered, briefly. "What was it you wanted to
talk to me about?"

"About a lot of things," said Fraser. "What a tremendous lot of children
there are about here."

Miss Tyrell coldly admitted an obvious fact, and stepping out into
the road to avoid spoiling a small maiden's next move at "hop scotch,"
returned to the pavement to listen to a somewhat lengthy dissertation
upon the game in question.

"What did you want to say to me?" she asked at length, turning and
regarding him.

"In the first place," said Fraser, "I wanted to tell you that, though
nothing has been heard of Captain Flower, I feel certain in my own mind
that he has not been drowned."

Miss Tyrell shook her head slowly.

"Then I ought to tell you that I have left the _Foam_" continued the
other. "I think that there is some idea that I knocked Flower overboard
to get his place."

The girl turned quickly, and her face flushed. "How absurd," she said,
indignantly, and her manner softened.

"Thank you," said Fraser. "If you don't believe it, I don't care what
anybody else th