ct about her on board--like flies
round a pot of honey."

"Shall you be one of the flies?"

"Possibly. I enjoy being fascinated and I like honey! She is very
amusing and dances like a moonbeam. Those are two coffee planters,
wonderful pals and bridge players, and here comes a strange lady,
probably a tourist--rich too."

Shafto looked and saw a handsome grey-haired woman, with a round smiling
face, wearing a long sable coat and an air of complacent prosperity.

"Why, for a wonder I know her!" he declared. "It's Mrs. Milward. Her
sister was our neighbour at home; I've met her often."

"Who is she?"

"A widow--very rich, I believe. I think her daughter is married to a man
in India--or Burma."

"Is this the daughter following up the gangway?"

"No; I've never seen her before."

"I say, what a pretty girl--and a ripping figure! Once seen, never
forgotten, eh? When you have claimed the chaperon you must present me to
the young lady--especially as you are out of the running yourself."

"Out of the running--what do you mean?"

"Merely that I happened to witness that tender parting at Tilbury--the
little girl in the green hat, who was crying her eyes out!"

"She was my cousin," protested Shafto; "nothing more."

"Oh, come!" rejoined Hoskins, with a knowing sidelong glance.

"Upon my honour! nothing whatever to me but that."

"Well, I suppose I'm bound to take your word for it, but it looked
uncommonly touching--so like the real thing, and yet merely a case of
strong family affection!"

"Yes, that's all."

"Well, let us descend and make ourselves presentable for lunch; nothing
like first impressions."

After lunch, when the new-comers had found their places and scattered
about, watching the shores of France recede, Shafto approached Mrs.
Milward and bowed himself before her.

"Why, Douglas!" she exclaimed, "this _is_ a surprise, a delightful
surprise. What on earth are _you_ doing here?"

"Making a voyage to Rangoon."

"Rangoon! So am I. An amazing coincidence. Now come and sit down at
once and tell me all about yourself."

"I think you have heard all there is to know."

"Yes; that you had become so distant and reserved and so like an oyster
in its shell, and there was no getting you to 'Tremenheere.'"

"But I was not my own master--I was in an office."

"My dear boy, where there's a will there's a way."

"There is no way of taking leave--unless you wish to get the key of the
street,