you mean to tell me--" began the skipper.

"Somebody's been having a joke with you, I tell you," repeated the
doctor, as the men, with sundry oaths, half of relief, half of dudgeon,
got out of bed and began groping for their clothes. "Who is it, do you
think?"

The skipper shook his head, and the mate, following his lead, in duty
bound, shook his; but a little while after, as they sat by the wheel
smoking and waiting for the men to return to work the cargo out, they
were more confidential. The skipper removed his pipe from his mouth,
and, having eyed the mate for some time in silence, jerked his thumb in
the direction of the railway station. The mate, with a woe-begone nod,
assented.

THE CABIN PASSENGER.

The captain of the _Fearless_ came on to the wharf in a manner more
suggestive of deer-stalking than that of a prosaic shipmaster returning
to his craft. He dodged round an empty van, lurked behind an empty
barrel, flitted from that to a post, and finally from the interior of a
steam crane peeped melodramatically on to the deck of his craft.

To the ordinary observer there was no cause for alarm. The decks were a
bit slippery but not dangerous except to a novice; the hatches were on,
and in the lighted galley the cook might be discovered moving about in a
manner indicative of quiet security and an untroubled conscience.

With a last glance behind him the skipper descended from the crane and
stepped lightly aboard.

"Hist," said the cook, coming out quietly. "I've been watching for you
to come."

"Damned fine idea of watching you've got," said the skipper irritably.
"What is it?"

The cook jerked his thumb towards the cabin. "He's down there," he said
in a hoarse whisper. "The mate said when you came aboard you was just
to go and stand near the companion and whistle 'God Save the Queen' and
he'll come up to you to see what's to be done."

"_Whistle!_" said the skipper, trying to moisten his parched lips with
his tongue. "I couldn't whistle just now to save my life."

"The mate don't know what to do, and that was to be the signal," said
the cook. "He's darn there with him givin' 'im drink and amoosin' 'im."

"Well, you go and whistle it," said the skipper.

The cook wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "'Ow does it go?" he
inquired anxiously. "I never could remember toons."

"Oh, go and tell Bill to do it!" said the skipper impatiently.

Summoned noiselessly by the cook, Bill came up from the