minute."

"Certainly not, sir. You go and have a good rummage, she'll bear it,
and you jot down in your log-book anything you see that you'd like to
draw attention to. Call any of the men to move or overhaul anything you
wish."

For the next three hours, to Jack's great dismay, his father and Doctor
Instow roamed and hunted over the yacht. Nothing seemed too small for
the doctor to pounce upon, though he devoted most attention to the
magazine-room, amongst the sporting implements; but one way and another
they thoroughly overhauled the yacht from stem to stern, even to
examining the cable-tier and the well, and having several long talks
with the men, before, to Jack's great satisfaction, as he sat against
the aft bulwarks, his father came to him and said--

"Tired, my boy?"

"Wearied out, father," was the reply.

"Well, we have done now. What do you think of the yacht?"

"Nothing, father;" and then hastily, as he saw the look of trouble in
Sir John's eyes, "I don't understand anything."

"Humph! No. Of course not. Well, come down into the saloon."

The captain looked up from where he was writing, having carefully
abstained from joining them since lunch.

"Well, gentlemen," he said, smiling, and a quiet triumphant look beaming
on his face, "done?"

"Yes," said the doctor, wiping his forehead; "I haven't worked so hard
for months."

"Like the look of her, sir?"

"Very much indeed," said Sir John quietly; and a pang of misery shot
through the boy.

"Ah, you don't know her yet, sir; but I'm glad you think well of her."

Sir John took a seat and was silent for a few moments, Doctor Instow
watching him with an inquiring look, while Jack was in agony.

"Look here, Captain Bradleigh," said Sir John at last, "I do not profess
to be a judge of such matters, but everything here seems to me to speak
for itself, and I can fairly say that I never saw a vessel in such
perfect trim before."

"That's a high compliment to pay me, sir," replied the captain, "and I
thank you for it. Well, I'm glad to have met you, sir, and it is a
break in rather a monotonous life. Don't apologise, sir, I know it is a
very heavy price for the craft, and of course it is on account of her
having fittings that not one gentleman in ten would think of putting in
a yacht. You were quite welcome to see her, and as for anything I have
done--"

"I do not quite understand you," said Sir John.

"No, sir? Well, I take it that what yo