ain Hocken was about to say.
Will any fool bid more for such a patch?"

Cai and 'Bias stared together, interrogating her. But there was no
further bid, and Mr Dewy knocked down the lot at 300 pounds.

"Which," said Mrs Bosenna meditatively to Dinah that night, "you may
call two hundred and fifty clean thrown into the sea. And the worst is
that though Captain Hocken and Captain Hunken are a pair of fools and Mr
Middlecoat a bigger fool than either--as it turns out, I'm the biggest
fool of all."

"How, mistress?"

"Why, you ninny! They were buying, one against the other, to make me a
present, and I stepped in and saved young Middlecoat's face. Yet," she
mused, "I don't see what else he could have done. . . . Well, thank the
Lord! he'll be humble now, which the others were and he wasn't."

"He's young, anyway," urged Dinah.

"That's something," her mistress conceded. "It gives the more time to
rub in his foolishness, and he'll never hear the last of it."

"Three hundred pounds, too!" ejaculated Dinah. "The very sound of it
frightens me. A terrible sum to throw to waste!"

"I wouldn't say that altogether. . . . Yes, you may unlace me.
What fools men are!"

CHAPTER XXII.

THE LAST CHALLENGE.

Next Lady-day, which fell on a Thursday, 'Bias called upon Mrs Bosenna
with his rent and with the pleasing announcement that in a week or so he
proposed to pay her a further sum of seven pounds eight shillings and
fourpence; this being the ascertained half-year's dividend earned by the
hundred pounds she had entrusted to his stewardship.

She warmly commended him. "Close upon fifteen per cent! I wonder--
But there! I suppose you won't tell me how it's done, not if I ask ever
so?"

'Bias looked knowing and reminded her that to ask no questions was a
part of her bargain. As a matter of fact it was also a part of his
bargain with Mr Rogers, and he could not have told had he wished to
tell.

"I suppose you've heard the latest news?" said he. "They've chosen me
on the Harbour Board--Ship-owners' representative."

"I didn't even know there had been an election."

"No more there hasn't. Rogers made the vacancy, and managed it for me;
retired in my favour, as you might say."

"Seems to me Mr Rogers must be weakenin' in his head."

"Oh no, he's not!" 'Bias assured her with a chuckle. "But he's pretty
frail in the body. At his time o' life and with his infirmity a man may
be excused, surely?"

"I r