, what will you do?"

"Go as a passenger, my dear. See here; it's all arranged," said the
captain, holding up a letter.

"I got this by the post this morning, and want to consult with you about
it. Knowing my condition and desires, that excellent man the chaplain,
who took me out in his steam-launch the day I got the first shot of this
illness, had made known my case to the Director of the Mission to
Deep-Sea Fishermen, and he has kindly agreed to let me go a trip to the
North Sea in one of the mission-ships, on the understanding that I shall
do as much of a missionary's work as I am fit for when there."

"But you're not fit for work of any kind!" exclaimed Kate with a flush
of indignation which was partly roused by the idea of her friend being
taken away from her at a time when he required so much nursing, and
partly by the impropriety of so sick a man being expected to work at
all.

"True, my dear, but I shall be fit enough in a week or two. Why, I feel
strength coming back like a torrent. Even now I'm so hungry that I
could devour my--my--"

"Your dinner!" cried Kate, as, at that opportune moment the door opened
and Liffie Lee appeared with a tray in her hand.

There could be no doubt as to the captain's appetite. Not only did his
eyes glare, in quite a wolfish manner, at the food while it was being
set before him, but the enormous quantity he took of that food became
quite a source of alarm to the sisters, who watched and helped him.

"Now, captain," said Jessie, laying her hand at last on his thin arm, as
it was stretched out to help himself to more, "you really must not. You
know the doctor said that it would never do, at first, to--"

"My dear," interrupted the invalid, "hang the doctor!"

"Well, I have no objection to his being hanged, if you don't ask me to
do it," returned Jessie, "but really--"

"Oh! let him alone," said Kate, who, being very healthy, shared the
captain's unreasonable contempt for medical men, and was more than
pleased at the ravenous tendencies of her old friend.

"Now for the sponge-cakes," said the captain, wiping his mouth and
rubbing his hands on finishing the first course.

"You are to have none," said Kate, firmly. The captain's face elongated
into a look of woe.

"Because you are to have rice-pudding and thick cream instead!"
continued Kate.

The captain's face shortened again into a beaming smile.

Liffie Lee appeared at the moment with the viands named.

"