ad to see you making such a
good breakfast."

"Well, you know," replied the guest, "the worst of me is, I appear to
be unsociable when I'm eating, as I cannot both eat and talk."

"Go on eating, then," said the host.

"Yes, go on eatin'," responded Yaunie. "You had a long passage, and
must be hungry."

"Quite right," replied the guest, with his mouth full. "I'm glad you
don't think me uncivil, but as I say, I like my breakfast better than
most meals, and I can only do one thing at a time. My wife always says
I must have been born either eating or talking."

He laughed heartily at this little domestic joke, and proceeded with
the putting in of the "bunker coals," as he called it. The captain of
the _Claverhouse_ and the pilot had purposely lingered over their meal
to keep him company. He observed this, and effusively asked them not
to mind him a bit, and to leave the table if they wanted to. After
expressing a few unreal excuses for their apparent rudeness, they were
prevailed upon to go into the state-room, where the captain solemnly
conveyed to Yaunie that he never thought he would live to have imposed
upon him such humiliation.

"I hope the brute will have an apoplectic fit!" said he.

Yaunie did not quite understand all that was said, but knew it meant
some form of obliquy, and replied, "Yes, and I hope so too."

As soon as Farquarson had finished eating, he straightway came to the
state-room and assured his host that he never remembered enjoying a
breakfast so much.

"Let's have a cigar," said he, "to soothe my nerves a bit."

This was given him. He lit up, and was proceeding to discuss the
merits of good feeding with great volubility when his harangue was
snapped by a request from his host to "cut it," as he wished to have a
yarn with him about a matter which was of great importance to himself.
"In short, I wish you to be most careful not to attract attention to
me by any friendly comment about that affair of two years ago. No one
who is in office now would appear to have any suspicion of what took
place; or if they do, it is obvious they are not desirous of opening
the question up again. But should it be brought prominently before
them, they will have to do something, and it may make it very awkward
for me. Now, what I want you to do for me is this: never mention the
incident again. I am sure you would not intentionally do anything that
would jeopardize my safety, and I feel that I have only to ask and