an strength, had laid aside his pipe and
slowly rising to his feet, seized the scoundrel in his powerful grasp.

"Let me go!" yelled Ward, making a desperate effort to free his arms.

"Ha, ha! man mit de proken nose, you ish vake up de wrong bassenger
again," came mockingly from above. "It ish me as galls you von pig
sheat; and I dells you it again."

"There, the villain's up on the deck now!" cried Ward, grinding his
teeth in impotent rage. "Let go my arms I let go, I say, and I'll teach
him a lesson."

"I dinks no; I dinks I deach you von lesson," returned his captor, not
relaxing his grasp in the least.

But the captain's voice was heard asking in stern tones, "What's the
cause of all this disturbance? what are you doing down here, Ward? I'll
have no fighting aboard."

The German released his prisoner, and the latter slunk away with
muttered threats and imprecations upon the head of his tormentor.

Both that night and the next day there was much speculation among the
passengers in regard to the occurrence; but our friends kept their own
counsel, and the children, cautioned not to divulge Cousin Ronald's
secret, guarded it carefully, for all had been trained to obedience, and
besides were anxious not to lose the fun he made for them.

Mr. Lilburn and Mr. Daly each at a different time, sought out the young
man, Ward's intended victim, and tried to influence him for good.

He thought he had been rescued by the interposition of some supernatural
agency, and solemnly declared his fixed determination never again to
approach a gaming table, and throughout the voyage adhered to his
resolution, spite of every influence Ward could bring to bear upon him
to break it.

Yet there was gambling again the second night, between Ward and several
others of his profession.

They kept it up till after midnight. Then Mr. Lilburn, waking from his
first sleep, in a stateroom near by, thought he would break it up once
more.

A deep stillness reigned in the cabin: it would seem that every one on
board the vessel, except themselves and the watch on deck, was wrapped
in profound slumber.

An intense voiceless excitement possessed the players, for the game was
a close one, and the stakes were very heavy. They bent eagerly over the
board, each watching with feverish anxiety his companion's movements,
each casting, now and again, a gloating eye upon the heap of gold and
greenbacks that lay between them, and at times half stretching