could the mistress be? He
assumed a more complaisant attitude, and added his vote: "A good way of
passing away this odious calm spell, Venner. Let us go."

"Where is this great queen, my Colossus?" Venner asked.

"I will lead thee to her presence," replied Milo. "Thy boat will take us
there in a few moments. Further on, beyond that point, the ship may lie
safely in the haven."

Venner called his sailing master, and together they examined the chart.
It showed a sand-bar stretching off the point, a deep-water channel,
narrow but accessible, close to.

"You can work into that anchorage?" asked Venner.

"Yes, sir, if the air don't die away altogether. It seems good ground by
the chart."

"Then carry the schooner in and bring up. Call away my cutter, and"--in
an undertone--"keep a good watch, Peters, this is an evil coast."

* * * * *

The shrill pipes reverberated under the awnings, and sailors, neat and
trim in white uniforms that contrasted beautifully with their dark
skins, ran to man the graceful white cutter. Pascherette sat in the
stern-sheets, cuddled up like a pretty kitten on a crimson silk cushion,
and Milo stood erect, as firm as if on solid ground, between passengers
and rowers as the boat sped shoreward. As the two craft separated the
schooner stood out in veritable beauty, an exquisite thing of gold and
ivory, pearl and rose. Venner's eyes lighted with pride at sight of her.
Even a long, eventless cruise had not killed the artist in him. He
touched Milo softly on the thigh and said with a smile:

"Has your queen anything like that, my friend?"

Milo cast a disdainful glance at the yacht, abruptly turned away again,
and replied shortly: "That is nothing."

"Nothing!" said Venner. "Then where have you seen daintier work of men's
hands and brains?"

"Thou shall see. Thy ship is a petty thing."

"Now, by Heaven, Venner, he has you there!" laughed Tomlin, never
ceasing for a moment from ogling Pascherette, who purred with
contentment and smiled slyly at the frown that came to Milo's face.

"Oh, yes, a poor thing!" laughed Pascherette, hugging her knees and
rippling over with amusement. "My mistress is a great queen.
These"--touching her pearls--"thy rigging could be formed of such, if my
queen willed."

"And in the house of such a great queen, my girl, are doubtless other
things of beauty and worth?" put in Venner with growing sarcasm.

"As witness this pretty wen