ish girl
and the wiry old Scotch lady made their way up the companion, not
without difficulty, for the skipper's prediction was already fulfilled,
and the _Streak_ was ploughing her way through all sorts of weather at
once.

The deck was slippery and sloppy, and the sharp spray was blowing itself
in jets round every available corner. The sky was of an even lead
colour, but it was hard to tell at first whether it was raining or not.
The Duke's face gleamed like a wet red apple in the wind and water as
he helped his sister to the leeward and anchored her among the shrouds.

"Hullo, Claudius, you seem to like this!" he sang out, spying the tall
Swede near the gangway. Claudius came towards them, holding on by the
pins and cleats and benches. He looked so white that Lady Victoria was
frightened.

"You are not well, Dr. Claudius. Please don't mind me, my brother will
be back in a moment. Go below and get warm. You really look ill."

"Do I? I do not feel ill at all I am very fond of this kind of weather."
And he put one arm through the shrouds and prepared for conversation
under difficulties. Meanwhile the Duke brought out Miss Skeat, who
rattled inside her tarpaulin, but did not exhibit the slightest
nervousness, though a bit of a sea broke over the weather-bow just as
she appeared.

"Keep your eye peeled there, will you?" the Duke shouted away to the men
at the wheel; whereat they grinned, and luffed a little, just enough to
let the lady get across.

"Steady!" bawled the Duke again when Miss Skeat was made fast; and the
men at the wheel held her off once more, so that the spray flew up in a
cloudy sheet.

Claudius was relieved. He had expected to see Margaret come up the
companion, and he had dreaded the meeting, when he would almost of
necessity be obliged to help her across and touch her hand; and he
inwardly blessed her wisdom in staying below. The others might have
stayed there too, he thought, instead of coming up to get wet and to
spoil his solitude, which was the only thing left to him to-day.

But Claudius was not the man to betray his ill-temper at being
disturbed; and after all there was something about these two women that
he liked--in different ways. The English girl was so solidly
enthusiastic, and the Scotch gentlewoman so severely courageous, that he
felt a sort of companionable sympathy after he had been with them a few
minutes.

Lady Victoria, as previously hinted, was married, and her husband,