rgain?"

"What do you mean?" inquired the girl.

"Give me a kiss, little spitfire, and I won't take another drop
to-night," said the new mate tenderly. "Come, I won't tell."

"You may drink yourself to death before I'll do that," said the girl,
striving to speak calmly. "Don't talk that nonsense to me again."

She stooped over as she spoke and made a sudden grab at the bottle,
but the new mate was too quick for her, and, snatching it up jeeringly,
dared her to come for it.

"Come on, come and fight for it," said he; "hit me if you like, I don't
mind; your little fist won't hurt."

No answer being vouchsafed to this invitation he applied himself to his
only friend again, while the girl, now thoroughly frightened, steered in
silence.

"Better get the sidelights out," said she at length.

"Plenty o' time," said Lee.

"Take the helm, then, while I do it," said the girl, biting her lips.

The fellow rose and came towards her, and, as she made way for him,
threw his arm round her waist and tried to detain her. Her heart beating
quickly, she walked forward, and, not without a hesitating glance at the
drunken figure at the wheel, descended into the fo'c'sle for the lamps.

The next moment, with a gasping little cry, she sank down on a locker as
the dark figure of a man rose and stood by her.

"Don't be frightened," it said quietly.

"Jack?" said the girl.

"That's me," said the figure. "You didn't expect to see me, did you?
I thought perhaps you didn't know what was good for you, so I stowed
myself away last night, and here I am."

"Have you heard what that fellow has been saying to me?" demanded Miss
Cringle, with a spice of the old temper leavening her voice once more.

"Every word," said the mate cheerfully.

"Why didn't you come up and stand by me?" inquired the girl hotly.

The mate hung his head.

"Oh," said the girl, and her tones were those of acute disappointment,
"you're afraid."

"I'm not," said the mate scornfully.

"Why didn't you come up, then, instead of skulking down here?" inquired
the girl.

The mate scratched the back of his neck and smiled, but weakly. "Well,
I--I thought"--he began, and stopped.

"You thought"--prompted Miss Cringle coldly.

"I thought a little fright would do you good," said the mate, speaking
quickly, "and that it would make you appreciate me a little more when I
did come."

"Ahoy! MAGGIE! MAGGIE!" came the voice of the graceless varlet who was
steering.