or at
least of the man who had chartered her; I had the name and acquaintance
of one or two of the company; but I knew nothing as to her destination,
her properties as a boat, or her time of sailing. Some of this
ignorance I hoped to remedy by my visit. And it seemed that I was in
the way to do so from the start. For no sooner was I on the quay in the
neighbourhood of the yacht than I came upon a handsome young man in the
dress of a superior sailor, with whom I fell into talk. He was
outspoken as a child, but volunteered nothing of his own initiative--an
amiable, sluggish, respectful fellow who was, as he stated,
quartermaster on the _Sea Queen_.

I confessed my interest in her, at which he indulgently supplied me
with information.

"I signed on at Glasgow, sir--and most of us too--and we picked up Mr.
Morland at Hamburg--him and the ladies."

"The ladies!" I echoed, for here was a surprise.

"Yes; two ladies what came with him--Miss Morland and another lady, a
dark one," said my friend.

"Oh!" said I. "Then you're off for a pleasure cruise."

"I hardly know, sir," said he. "They do say New York, but I haven't
heard definite."

That looked in favour of my theory of Mr. Morland as an American. He
was perhaps a Trust King, and Miss Morland a vivacious "beauty" from
Chicago.

Here my companion suggested that I might care to have a look at the
yacht.

"My friend," said I, "you mustn't let me take you on false pretences. I
may be your doctor, and I may be not."

"Oh, that's all right, sir," said he easily. "It can't do no harm.
We're only loading up with provisions, and there's no mess about."

We ascended the gangway, and entered the dark ship, which was
singularly silent. He had already the sailor's affection for his
floating home, and pointed me out one or two points for admiration
which I understood but ill, as they were technical. As we were peeping
into the saloon, a man passed us and stopped sharply.

"That you, Ellison?" he asked in a harsh voice. "Who's that?"

"Only a gentleman having a look round. He's to be doctor," said the
quartermaster.

The man made no reply, but stared at me, and then went on swiftly.

"Rather abrupt," I commented, smiling.

"Oh, that's nothing. It is only his way," said the good-natured fellow.
"He's the boatswain."

"Is Mr. Morland an American?" I asked.

"I don't know, sir. I've hardly seen him. We signed on at Glasgow with
a little slip of a fellow representing M