s. He waited there fifteen minutes, either to kill the time or
to arrange his plans, and then ran up alongside the yacht.

He had put Bessie on board of the Caribbee!

He was actually in the employ of Dock Vincent.

Mat stepped on the deck of The Starry Flag, whose foresail and mainsail
had been hoisted, and her anchor hove short. The lamps in the cabin and
state-rooms were lighted, and the steward was as busy as a bee, and
delighted at the thought of once more having the beautiful young lady
on board; for it was a joy to serve her, her smile was so sweet, her
voice so pleasant, and her heart so full of kindness.

"Where are you, Mat?" demanded Levi, as the treacherous seaman came on
board.

"My mother has just had a fit, and they say she will not live till
morning," replied Mat, in the most disconsolate of tones. "I shouldn't
have come on board at all if Mr. Watson hadn't sent me with a message
to you."

"What was the message?" asked Levi, tenderly, for he was full of pity
for Mat.

"He told me to tell you that he and Miss Bessie would meet you in
Portland on your arrival. Her mother made such a fuss about her going
off in the night without her aunt, that her father decided to take the
cars, for he heard in Gloucester that an excursion train would come
along about twelve o'clock."

"Very well," said Levi. "I will go on shore with you and see about it.
I hope your mother will get better."

"I hope so. Mr. Watson started right off in the buggy with Bessie."

"Has he gone?"

"Yes, he went right off. He was in a hurry, for he has to drive to
Beverly to catch the train. You won't see him if you go on shore."

"Then I think I will not go; but I will not keep you a moment," added
Levi.

"If you want another hand in my place, I can get Tom Sampson."

"We can get along very well without any more help," replied Levi, as
Mat pushed off.

Levi was vexed that Mrs. Watson's timidity had deprived him of Bessie's
company; but it was like her, and on their trip to the eastward, he had
been obliged to be in port every night to please her. However, he would
receive his passengers on board at Portland the next morning; and, in a
few minutes more, the yacht tripped her anchor, and sailed out of the
bay.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE CARIBBEE.

Bessie Watson stood upon the deck of the Caribbee, and in the darkness
of the night she did not at first discover that the vessel was not The
Starry Flag. She wondered that Levi