which had arrived by post
whilst he was out in the _Spindrift_. He settled down to the leading
articles with a comfortable sense that he was doing his duty. Meldon
wandered round the room looking for something to read. He found a new
book on boat-building which promised to be interesting. Unfortunately
it turned out to be highly technical, and therefore dull. It dropped
from his knees. He nodded, took the pipe from his mouth, lay back
comfortably, and went to sleep. Major Kent satisfied himself that the
English navy, though in some ways the best in the world, was in other
respects inefficient and utterly useless as a national defence. Then,
at about ten o'clock, he too went asleep. A few minutes later he began
to snore, and the noise he made woke Meldon. He felt for his pipe,
filled and lit it. He sat gazing at Major Kent for a quarter of an
hour, then he coughed loudly. The Major woke with a start.

"It's a remarkable thing," said Meldon, "how sleepy two days on the sea
make one. I had a nap myself. You were sound and snoring."

"It's early yet," said the Major, glancing at the clock. "I seldom
turn in before eleven."

"I'm going to turn in now," said Meldon. "I'd be better in bed, for I
can't sleep here with the way you're snoring. I just woke you up to
say that I'll get a hold of Simpkins some time to-morrow and settle
things with him. I daresay, after the way he has behaved to the poor
old rector, that he'll be ashamed to come to church, but I'll look him
up afterwards. You'll be responsible for Miss King."

"I can't argue any more to-night," said the Major, yawning; "but don't
you go to bed under the impression that I'm going to have Simpkins in
the yacht, for I'm not."

"I don't want to argue either, but I'll just say one word to you before
I go: one word that I'd like to have imprinted on your mind during the
night. You won't mind listening to one word, will you?"

"Not if it's only one."

"It is literally and simply one. Duty."

"Duty!" said the Major, sitting up.

"Yes, duty. You're an Englishman, Major, at least by descent, and you
know that there's one appeal which is never made in vain to Englishmen,
and that is the appeal to duty. Wasn't that the meaning of the signal
Nelson hoisted just before he asked Hardy to kiss him! And what did
Hardy do? Kissed him at once, though he can't possibly have liked it."

"I think you've got the story wrong somewhere, J. J. As well as I