through the medium of Tim that the coast was
clear, came on deck at Limehouse, and took charge of his ship with a
stateliness significant of an uneasy conscience. He noticed with growing
indignation that the mate's attitude was rather that of an accomplice
than a subordinate, and that the crew looked his way far oftener than
was necessary or desirable.

"I told her we were going to France," said the mate, in an impressive
whisper.

"Her?" said Flower, curtly. "Who?"

"The lady you didn't want to see," said Fraser, restlessly.

"You let your ideas run away with you, Jack," said Flower, yawning.
"It wasn't likely I was going to turn out and dress to see any girl you
liked to invite aboard."

"Or even to bawl at them through the speaking-trumpet," said Fraser,
looking at him steadily.

"What sort o'looking girl was she?" enquired Flower, craning his neck to
see what was in front of him.

"Looked like a girl who meant to find the man she wanted, if she spent
ten years over it," said the mate grimly. "I'll bet you an even five
shillings, cap'n, that she finds this Mr. Robinson before six weeks are
out--whatever his other name is."

"Maybe," said Flower, carelessly.

"It's her first visit to the _Foam_, but not the last, you mark my
words," said Fraser, solemnly. "If she wants this rascal Robinson----"

"What?" interrupted Flower, sharply.

"I say if she wants this rascal Robinson," repeated the mate, with
relish, "she'll naturally come where she saw the last trace of him."

Captain Flower grunted.

"Women never think," continued Fraser, judicially, "or else she'd be
glad to get rid of such a confounded scoundrel."

"What do you know about him?" demanded Flower.

"I know what she told me," said Fraser; "the idea of a man leaving a
poor girl in a cake-shop and doing a bolt. He'll be punished for it,
I know. He's a thoughtless, inconsiderate fellow, but one of the
best-hearted chaps in the world, and I guess I'll do the best I can for
him."

Flower grinned safely in the darkness. "And any little help I can give
you, Jack, I'll give freely," he said, softly. "We'll talk it over at
breakfast."

The mate took the hint, and, moving off, folded his arms on the
taffrail, and, looking idly astern, fell into a reverie. Like the
Pharisee, he felt thankful that he was not as other men, and dimly
pitied the skipper and his prosaic entanglements, as he thought of
Poppy. He looked behind at the dark and silent city, a