d met in Boston and set about first of all tracing back her
trouble and disproving the flimsy evidence which must have convicted
her of stealing from Hoskin & Marl's.

He told himself it was not piety, but hard common sense which
suggested this as the only and practical way to handle the matter.
It was, in truth, the awakened hope in a loving heart.

Tunis had been able to keep scarcely enough of his crew to handle
the _Seamew_ in fair weather; and the barometer was falling, with
every indication in sea and sky of the approach of bad weather. He
feared the few hands he had would desert when they reached Boston.
Zebedee Pauling was a young host in himself--far and away a better
seaman than Orion Latham, as well as a better fellow. But the
schooner could not be sailed with good will.

Tunis' mind, however, remained fixed upon Sheila's troubles rather
than upon his own; and as soon as the schooner docked, he went up
into the town and wended his way directly to the great department
store in which he had once interviewed the troublesome Ida May
Bostwick.

* * * * *

The cargo was out, and the _Seamew_ had already been warped into
another wharf where freight was awaiting her when the skipper
returned to the water front that afternoon. The three men remaining
of the forecastle crew were still at work, assisted by Zebedee and
Horry Newbegin. They had not had a regular cook for two trips now.

But a new complication had arisen. Mason Chapin stood at the rail
waiting his return, and a taxicab had been summoned. The mate
carried a bag.

"A telegram from Doctor Norris. My wife's worse, Mr. Latham. I've
got to go back just as fast as steam will get me there," was his
greeting to the skipper of the _Seamew_.

This was according to the agreement Mason Chapin had made in the
beginning. His wife was sorely ill, and surely Tunis would not stand
between a man and his sick wife!

But it left a very serious situation upon the schooner when the mate
drove away in the taxicab. Six men, forward and aft, to handle a
suit of sails which equaled those of any seagoing racing yacht. If
it had not been for the freight--some of which was perishable--the
master of the _Seamew_ would have laid up until he could have got
together a more numerous crew at least.

But instead of going to the seamen's employment offices, Tunis had
to turn to himself, while the heavier pieces of freight were lowered
down the hatch