omebody on the ship they'll send you home again."

"So they will," said the girl eagerly. "I'll pretend to fall in love
with that nice-looking sailor you call Harry. What a lark!"

"I shouldn't do that," said the mate gravely.

"Why not?" said the girl.

"'Tisn't discipline," said the mate very firmly; "it wouldn't do at all.
He's before the mast."

"Oh, I see," remarked Miss Alsen, smiling scornfully.

"I only mean pretend, of course," said the mate, colouring. "Just to
oblige you."

"Of course," said the girl calmly. "Well, how are we to be in love?"

The mate flushed darkly. "I don't know much about such things," he said
at length; "but we'll have to look at each other, and all that sort of
thing, you know."

"I don't mind that," said the girl.

"Then we'll get on by degrees," said the other. "I expect we shall both
find it come easier after a time."

"Anything to get home again," said the girl, rising and walking slowly
away.

The mate began his part of the love-making at once, and, fixing a gaze
of concentrated love on the object of his regard, nearly ran down
a smack. As he had prognosticated, it came easy to him, and other
well-marked symptoms, such as loss of appetite and a partiality for
bright colours, developed during the day. Between breakfast and tea
he washed five times, and raised the ire of the skipper to a dangerous
pitch by using the ship's butter to remove tar from his fingers.

By ten o'clock that night he was far advanced in a profound melancholy.
All the looking had been on his side, and, as he stood at the wheel
keeping the schooner to her course, he felt a fellow-feeling for the
hapless Towson, His meditations were interrupted by a slight figure
which emerged from the companion, and, after a moment's hesitation, came
and took its old seat on the skylight.

"Calm and peaceful up here, isn't it?" said he, after waiting some time
for her to speak. "Stars are very bright to-night."

"Don't talk to me," said Miss Alsen snappishly.

"Why doesn't this nasty little ship keep still? I believe it's you
making her jump about like this."

"Me?" said the mate in amazement.

"Yes, with that wheel."

"I can assure you "--began the mate.

"Yes, I knew you'd say so," said the girl.

"Come and steer yourself," said the mate; "then you'll see."

Much to his surprise she came, and, leaning limply against the wheel,
put her little hands on the spokes, while the mate explained the
mysterie