aid re-opened the door, showing in a heavy,
sun-tanned, middle-aged man, who thrust the cap he carried into the
yawning pocket of a dark blue pea-jacket, stared hard at the doctor,
glanced at Rodd, and then turning sharply on his heels he stood with his
back to the latter, stiff, squared, and sturdy, looking as the boy
thought like a hop-sack set on end, and stared at the maid where she
stopped, literally fixing her with his eyes for a few moments, before,
quite startled at the fierceness of his gaze, she darted out, closing
the door loudly.

"Business. Private!" literally growled the visitor.

"Well, what is it?" said the doctor shortly.

"'Eard you wanted a skipper, and come up."

"Well," said Uncle Paul, looking very hard at his unprepossessing
visitor, while Rodd felt as if he wanted to laugh, but held the desire
in check, "I may want one by and by, and a crew too; but I must have a
ship first."

"What sort?"

"Well, you are pretty blunt," said the doctor.

"Yes," said the visitor, with a nod; and he waited, but turned his eyes
from the doctor and looked very hard at the nearest chair.

"Ah, yes," said the doctor. "Sit down, Captain--Captain--"

The doctor waited for an answer, but the only answer made was by a
movement, his visitor taking two steps towards the chair, and plumping
down so heavily that the brass casters creaked.

The doctor glanced at his nephew, and then at the stranger, who seemed
to be frowning at him with all his might.

"Er--what did you say your name was, captain?"

"Didn't say," said the visitor huskily. "Wanter know?"

"Well--yes," said the doctor. "I don't see how we are to transact
business without."

"Chubb, Jonathan."

"Well, Captain Chubb?"

"Plymouth."

"Oh, I see; Captain Chubb, of Plymouth," continued the doctor.

"Right. Go on."

"Well, I gave you to understand that I wanted a ship before I engaged a
captain."

"Skipper; not R.N."

"I see; but I wished to be polite," said the doctor.

"Skipper," grunted the man.

"Where have you sailed?" asked the doctor.

"Everywhere."

"Ah! Then you have had plenty of experience."

The visitor nodded, and the doctor was going to speak again, but the
visitor interposed with a sidewise nod in the direction of Rodd, and
said--

"Your boy?"

"Well, yes, in a way," replied the doctor.

The captain grunted.

"Boys always are," he said, and Rodd turned upon him angrily.

"I said in _a_ way, not in _the_ wa