despite himself.

Kate drew a breath the length of which boded no good to her parent, and
looked over the side.

"I was afraid of that traveller chap from Ipswich," said Hezekiah,
after a pause. "Your father told me he was hanging round you again, so I
thought I--well, I was a blamed fool anyway."

"See how ridiculous you have made me look before all these men," said
the girl angrily.

"They've been with me for years," said Hezekiah apologetically, "and the
mate said it was a magnificent idea. He quite raved about it, he did.
I wouldn't have done it with some crews, but we've had some dirty times
together, and they've stood by me well. But of course that's nothing to
do with you. It's been an adventure I'm very sorry for, very."

"A pretty safe adventure for YOU," said the girl scornfully. "YOU didn't
risk much. Look here, I like brave men. If you go in the cage and undo
that bear, I'll marry you. That's what _I_ call an adventure."

"Smith," called the skipper quietly, "come and take the helm a bit."

The seaman obeyed, and Lewis, accompanied by the girl, walked forward.

At the bear's cage he stopped, and, fumbling in his pocket for the key,
steadily regarded the brute as it lay gnashing its teeth, and trying in
vain to bite the ropes which bound it.

"You're afraid," said the girl tauntingly; "you're quite white."

The captain made no reply, but eyed her so steadily that her gaze fell.
He drew the key from his pocket and inserted it in the huge lock, and
was just turning it, when a soft arm was drawn through his, and a soft
voice murmured sweetly in his ear, "Never mind about the old bear."

And he did not mind.

THE COOK OF THE "GANNET"

"All ready for sea, and no cook," said the mate of the schooner Gannet,
gloomily. "What's become of all the cooks I can't think."

"They most on 'em ship as mates now," said the skipper, grinning. "But
you needn't worry about that; I've got one coming aboard to-night. I'm
trying a new experiment, George."

"I once knew a chemist who tried one," said George, "an' it blew him out
of the winder; but I never heard o' shipmasters trying 'em."

"There's all kinds of experiments," rejoined the other, "What do you say
to a lady cook, George?"

"A WHAT?" asked the mate in tones of strong amazement. "What, aboard a
schooner?"

"Why not?" inquired the skipper warmly; "why not? There's plenty of 'em
ashore--why not aboard ship?"

"'Tain't proper, for one thing," s