f her eye, "an' they might scrape the
paint off."

"Look here, my lad," said the new skipper grimly, "if you think you can
steer better than me, you'd better keep it to yourself, that's all. Now
suppose you see about your bedding, as I said."

The mate went, albeit he was rather surprised at himself for doing
so, and hid his annoyance and confusion beneath the mattress which
he brought up on his head. His job completed, he came aft again, and,
sitting on the hatches, lit his pipe.

"This is just the weather for a pleasant cruise," he said amiably, after
a few whiffs. "You've chose a nice time for it."

"I don't mind the weather," said the girl, who fancied that there was
a little latent sarcasm somewhere. "I think you'd better wash the decks
now."

"Washed 'em last night," said the mate, without moving.

"Ah, after dark, perhaps," said the girl. "Well, I think I'll have them
done again."

The mate sat pondering rebelliously for a few minutes, then he removed
his jacket, put on in honour of the new skipper, and, fetching the
bucket and mop, silently obeyed orders.

"You seem to be very fond of sitting down," remarked the girl, after he
had finished; "can't you find something else to do?"

"I don't know," replied the mate slowly; "I thought you were looking
after that."

The girl bit her lip, and was looking carefully round her, when they
were both disturbed by the unseemly behaviour of the master of a passing
craft.

"Jack!" he yelled in a tone of strong amazement, "Jack!"

"Halloa!" cried the mate.

"Why didn't you tell us?" yelled the other reproachfully.

"Tell you what?" roared the mystified mate.

The master of the other craft, holding on to the stays with one hand,
jerked his thumb expressively towards Miss Cringle, and waited.

"When was it?" he screamed anxiously, as he realised that his craft was
rapidly carrying him out of earshot.

The mate smiled feebly, and glanced uneasily at the girl, who, with a
fine colour and an air of vast unconcern, was looking straight in front
of her; and it was a relief to both of them when they found themselves
hesitating and dodging in front of a schooner which was coming up.

"Do you want all the river?" demanded the exasperated master of the
latter vessel, running to the side as they passed. "Why don't you drop
anchor if you want to spoon?"

"Perhaps you 'd better let me take the wheel a bit," said the mate, not
without a little malice in his voice.