lip, turned away,
and started a desperate flirtation with the mate, to punish him. Evans
watched them with mingled feelings as he busied himself with various
small jobs on the deck, his wrath being raised to boiling point by
the behaviour of the cook, who, being a poor hand at disguising his
feelings, came out of the galley several times to look at him.

From this incident a coolness sprang up between the skipper and the
girl, which increased hourly. At times the skipper weakened, but the
watchful mate was always on hand to prevent mischief. Owing to his
fostering care Evans was generally busy, and always gruff; and Miss
Cooper, who was used to the most assiduous attentions from him, knew not
whether to be most bewildered or most indignant. Four times in one day
did he remark in her hearing that a sailor's ship was his sweetheart,
while his treatment of his small prospective brother in-law, when he
expostulated with him on the state of his wardrobe, filled that hitherto
pampered youth with amazement. At last, on the fourth night out, as the
little schooner was passing the coast of Cornwall, the mate came up to
him as he was steering, and patted him heavily on the back.

"It's all right, cap'n," said he. "You've lost the prettiest little girl
in England."

"What?" said the skipper, in incredulous tones.

"Fact," replied the other. "Here's your ring back. I wouldn't let her
wear it any longer."

"However did you do it?" inquired Evans, taking the ring in a dazed
fashion.

"Oh, easy as possible," said the mate. "She liked me best, that's all."

"But what did you say to her?" persisted Evans.

The other reflected.

"I can't call to mind exactly," he said at length. "But, you may rely
upon it, I said everything I could against you. But she never did care
much for you. She told me so herself."

"I wish you joy of your bargain," said Evans solemnly, after a long
pause.

"What do you mean?" demanded the mate sharply.

"A girl like that," said the skipper, with a lump in his throat, "who
can carry on with two men at once ain't worth having. She's not my
money, that's all."

The mate looked at him in honest bewilderment.

"Mark my words," continued the skipper loftily, "you'll live to regret
it. A girl like that's got no ballast. She'll always be running after
fresh neckties."

"You put it down to the necktie, do you?" sneered the mate wrathfully.

"That and the clothes, cert'nly," replied the skipper.

"W