papers in the little room
which he dignified with the name of "office"; but upon George's
appearance the old fellow hastily swept the documents pell-mell into a
drawer, which he locked. Then, pocketing the key, he led the way to the
back door of the house, which gave upon the shipyard, upon passing
through which young Saint Leger immediately found himself in the midst
of surroundings that were as familiar to him as the walls of his own
home. But he had no time just then to gaze about him reminiscently, for
immediately upon entering the shipyard his gaze became riveted upon the
hull of a tall ship, apparently quite ready for launching, and from that
moment he had eyes for nothing else. As he came abruptly to a halt,
staring at the great bows that towered high above him, resplendent in
all the glory of fresh paint and surmounted by a finely carved figure of
an unknown animal with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull, the body
of a fish, four legs shaped like those of an eagle, and the wings of a
dragon, old Radlett nudged him in the ribs and, beaming happily upon
him, remarked: "There a be, Garge; that's the _Nonsuch_. What do 'e
think of her?"

"Upon my word I hardly know," answered George. "Let me look her over a
bit, Mr Radlett, before you ask my opinion of her. Is she finished?"

"Finished?" reiterated the old man. "Iss, sure; quite finished, and all
ready for launching. Why? Do 'e miss anything?"

"Why, yes," said George; "I see neither fore nor after castles. How is
that?"

"Swept 'em both away, lad," was the answer. "What good be they? I
allow that they be only so much useless top hamper, makin' a ship crank
and leewardly. 'Tis the fashion to build 'em, I know; but I've thought
the matter out, and I say that they do more harm than they be worth.
Therefore I've left 'em out in the _Nonsuch_, and you'll see she'll be
all the better for it. But although she have neither fore nor after
castles, she've a poop, and a raised deck for'ard where guns can be
mounted and where, sheltered behind good stout bulwarks, the crew'll be
so safe as in any castle. Do 'e see any other differences in her?"

"Yes, I do," answered George, as he walked round the hull and viewed it
from different standpoints; "indeed I see nothing but differences. The
under-water shape of her is different, her topsides have scarcely any
tumble-home, and she has not nearly so much sheer as usual. Also I see
that you have given her a