nt-Killer would have dared to encounter such a being, supposing him
to have had the chance.

"I'm glad I am not too late to find you here, sir," said Bax, puffing
off his hat and bowing slightly to his employer.

"Humph!" ejaculated Denham, "step this way."

They entered the inner office, and, the door being shut, Ruggles
internally blessed Bax and breathed freely. Under the influence of
reaction he even looked defiant.

"So you have lost your schooner," began Denham, sitting down in his
chair of state and eyeing the seaman sternly. Bax returned the gaze so
much more sternly that Denham felt disconcerted but did not allow his
feelings to betray themselves.

"The schooner _has_ been lost," said Bax, "and I am here to report the
fact and to present these letters, one from the seamen's missionary at
Ramsgate, the other from your nephew, both of which will show you that
no blame attaches to me. I regret the loss, deeply, but it was un--"

Bax was going to have said unavoidable, but he felt that the expression
would have been incorrect, and stopped.

"Finish your remark," said Denham.

"I merely wished to say that it was out of _my_ power to prevent it."

"Oh!" interjected Denham, sarcastically, as he read the letters. "The
seamen's missionary is one of whom I know nothing. His opinion,
therefore, carries no weight. As to my nephew, _his_ remarks are simply
unworthy of notice. But you say that no blame attaches to _you_. To
whom then does blame attach, if not to the skipper of the vessel? Do
you mean to lay it at the door of Providence?"

"No, sir, I do not," replied Bax.

"Have you, then, the presumption to insinuate that it lies with _me_?"

Bax was silent.

"Am I to expect an answer?" said Denham.

"I make no insinuations," said Bax, after a short pause; "I do but state
facts. If the `Nancy' had been fitted with a new tops'l-yard and
jib-boom, as I advised last summer, I would have carried her safe into
the Downs."

"So," said Denham, in a tone of increasing sarcasm, "you have the
hardihood to insinuate that it was _my_ fault?"

Bax reddened with indignation at the tone of insult in which these words
were uttered. His bass voice grew deeper and sterner as he said:--

"If you insist on plain speaking, sir, you shall have it. I _do_ think
the blame of the loss of the `Nancy' lies at your door, and worse than
that, the loss of two human lives lies there also. There was not a
sound timber or