at with signing on aboard the day before the ship
sails, and before the Board o' Trade officers, I'm sure it's a wonder
that anybody goes to sea at all."

"You leave that to Smith," said the captain, impatiently. "The Seabird
sails on Friday morning's tide. Tell Smith I'll arrange to meet my son
here on Thursday night, and that he must have some liquor for us and a
fly waiting on the beach."

Mr. Wilks wriggled: "But what about signing on, sir?" he inquired.

"He won't sign on," said the captain, "he'll be a stowaway. Smith must
get him smuggled aboard, and bribe the hands to let him lie hidden in the
fo'c's'le. The Seabird won't put back to put him ashore. Here is five
pounds; give Smith two or three now, and the remainder when the job is
done."

The steward took the money reluctantly and, plucking up his courage,
looked his old master in the face.

"It's a 'ard life afore the mast, sir," he said, slowly.

"Rubbish!" was the reply. "It'll make a man of him. Besides, what's it
got to do with you?"

"I don't care about the job, sir," said Mr. Wilks, bravely.

"What's that got to do with it?" demanded the other, frowning. "You go
and fix it up with Nathan Smith as soon as possible."

Mr. Wilks shuffled his feet and strove to remind himself that he was a
gentleman of independent means, and could please himself.

"I've known 'im since he was a baby," he murmured, defiantly.

"I don't want to hear anything more from you, Wilks," said the captain,
in a hard voice. "Those are my orders, and you had better see that they
are carried out. My son will be one of the first to thank you later on
for getting him out of such a mess."

Mr. Wilks's brow cleared somewhat. "I s'pose Miss Kate 'ud be pleased
too," he remarked, hope-fully.

"Of course she will," said the captain. "Now I look to you, Wilks, to
manage this thing properly. I wouldn't trust anybody else, and you've
never disappointed me yet."

The steward gasped and, doubting whether he had heard aright, looked
towards his old master, but in vain, for the confirmation of further
compliments. In all his long years of service he had never been praised
by him before. He leaned forward eagerly and began to discuss ways and
means.

In the next room conversation was also proceeding, but fitfully. Miss
Nugent's consternation when she closed the door behind her and found
herself face to face with Mr. Hardy was difficult of concealment. Too
late she un