happened to be on the upper deck. The rest
of the spirits repaired below to the saloon, where they were soon engaged
in an animated discussion of such viands as the larder provided.

"This," said Dr. Johnson, from the head of the table, "is what I call
comfort. I don't know that I am so anxious to recover the House-boat,
after all."

"Nor I," said Socrates, "with a ship like this to go off cruising on, and
with such a larder. Look at the thickness of that puree, Doctor--"

"Excuse me," said Boswell, faintly, "but I--I've left my note-bub-book
upstairs, Doctor, and I'd like to go up and get it."

"Certainly," said Dr. Johnson. "I judge from your color, which is highly
suggestive of a modern magazine poster, that it might be well too if you
stayed on deck for a little while and made a few entries in your
commonplace book."

"Thank you," said Boswell, gratefully. "Shall you say anything clever
during dinner, sir? If so, I might be putting it down while I'm up--"

"Get out!" roared the Doctor. "Get up as high as you can--get up with Shem
on the mizzentop--"

"Very good, sir," replied Boswell, and he was off.

"You ought to be more lenient with him, Doctor," said Bonaparte; "he means
well."

"I know it," observed Johnson; "but he's so very previous. Last winter, at
Chaucer's dinner to Burns, I made a speech, which Boswell printed a week
before it was delivered, with the words 'laughter' and 'uproarious
applause' interspersed through it. It placed me in a false position."

"How did he know what you were going to say?" queried Demosthenes.

"Don't know," replied Johnson. "Kind of mind-reader, I fancy," he added,
blushing a trifle. "But, Captain Holmes, what do you deduce from your
observation of the wake of the House-boat? If she's going to Paris, why
the change?"

"I have two theories," replied the detective.

"Which is always safe," said Le Coq.

"Always; it doubles your chances of success," acquiesced Holmes. "Anyhow,
it gives you a choice, which makes it more interesting. The change of her
course from Londonward to Parisward proves to me either that Kidd is not
satisfied with the extent of the revenge he has already taken, and wishes
to ruin you gentlemen financially by turning your wives, daughters, and
sisters loose on the Parisian shops, or that the pirates have themselves
been overthrown by the ladies, who have decided to prolong their cruise
and get some fun out of their misfortune."

"And where els