, and Mr. Phillips----"

"Language?" said Mr. Donovan.

"It was splendid. I never knew before that there were such words."

"Well," said Mr. Donovan, "I haven't cursed any for quite a bit; but
I'm willing to try. But you'd better run up the bridge, Daisy, right
now, before I start. I might be kind of held back from some
expressions if I knew you were listening."

Miss Daisy, who was sometimes quite an obedient girl, reached the
bridge in time to hear the order given, and to see the anchor splash
into the blue water.

Mr. Donovan began to speak slowly and very quietly. It took the women
servants nearly two minutes to realize that he was using the most
atrocious language. Then they fled. The three footmen stood their
ground a little longer. Mr. Donovan raised his voice a little. He felt
old powers returning to him. He became fluent. One by one the footmen
slank away. Mr. Donovan went on, without passion or heat. He arrived
at a terrific malediction which he had found effective many years
before in dealing with Italian navvies. The major domo cowered, his
hands held to his ears, and vanished into the cabin.

Mr. Donovan took from his pocket a large purple handkerchief. He wiped
away the sweat which had gathered on his upper lip. Then he looked
round him with an air of satisfaction. There was no one left near him
except Smith, the ship's steward, who stood in a respectful attitude
apparently waiting for an opportunity to speak.

"I don't know," said Mr. Donovan, "that I can do any more real
high-class cursing, without preparation; but if you're not satisfied
I'm willing to try."

"I was only going to suggest, sir," said Smith, "that if it would be
any convenience to you, sir, and to her Majesty----" Mr. Donovan
started. It was the first time Miss Daisy had been given her new
title.

"I'd be very glad, sir, to remain with you and do all I can, sir, to
make you comfortable--subject to Captain Wilson's permission. Of
course you'll understand, sir, that I signed on as ship's steward. I
couldn't leave my duty, sir, if Captain Wilson required me."

"Smith," said Mr. Donovan, "you're a white man. I'll square things up
with Captain Wilson. He can have the use of that sausage skin of a
butler on the voyage home. I hope he'll just set those able-bodied
wasters of footmen to shovel coal in the stokehole. I shan't say a
word if he corrects the women with a rope's end every time they're
seasick. I'm a humanitarian, Smith, o