" said Fraser, noting with satisfaction that both ladies
gave occasional uneasy glances at the clock.

"No, an' not likely to," said Mrs. Tipping; "fifteen two, fifteen four,
fifteen six, and a pair's eight."

"Where's the fifteen six?" enquired Fraser, glancing oven

"Eight and seven," said the lady, pitching the cards with the others and
beginning to shuffle for the next deal.

"It's very strange behaviour," said the mate; "Robinson, I mean. Do you
think he's dead?"

"No, I don't," said Mrs. Tipping, briefly. "Where's that captain of
yours?"

Fraser, whose anxiety was becoming too much for his play, leaned over
the table as though about to speak, and then, apparently thinking better
of it, went on with the game.

"Eh?" said Mrs. Tipping, putting her cards face downwards on the table
and catching his eye. "Where?"

"O, nowhere," said Fraser, awkwardly. "I don't want to be dragged into
this, you know. It isn't my business."

"If you know where he is, why can't you tell us?" asked Mrs. Tipping,
softly. "There's no harm in that."

"What's the good?" enquired Fraser, in a low voice; "when you've seen
the old man you won't be any forwarder--he wouldn't tell you anything
even if he knew it."

"Well, we'd like to see him," said Mrs. Tipping, after a pause.

"You see, you put me in a difficulty," said Fraser; "if the skipper
doesn't come aboard, you're going with us, I understand?"

Mrs. Tipping nodded. "Exactly," she said, sharply.

"That'll get me into trouble, if anything will," said the mate,
gloomily. "On the other hand, if I tell you where he is now, that'll get
me into trouble, too."

He sat back and drummed on the table with his fingers. "Well, I'll risk
it," he said, at length; "you'll find him at 17, Beaufort Street, Bow."

The younger woman sprang excitedly to her feet, but Mrs. Tipping, eyeing
the young man with a pair of shrewd, small eyes, kept her seat.

"And while we're going, how do we know the capt'n won't come back and go
off with the ship?" she enquired.

Fraser hesitated. "Well, I'll come with you, if you like," he said,
slowly.

"And suppose they go away and leave you, behind?" objected Mrs. Tipping.

"Oh, well, you'd better stay then," said the mate, wearily, "unless we
take a couple of the hands with us. How would that suit you? They can't
sail with half a crew."

Mrs. Tipping, who was by no means as anxious for a sea voyage as she
tried to make out, carefully pondered the sit