briously. "I wish I'd got that 'appy way of looking
at things you 'ave."

"I'm not joking, Smith," said the other, quietly.

Mr. Smith pondered and, stealing a side-glance at him, stood scraping his
foot along the floor.

"There ain't nothing much to tell," he grumbled, "and, mind, the worst
favour you could do to the cap'n would be to put it about how he was
done. He's gone for a little trip instead of 'is son, that's all."

"Little trip!" repeated the other; "you call a whaling cruise a little
trip?"

"No, no, sir," said Mr. Smith, in a shocked voice, "I ain't so bad as
that; I've got some 'art, I hope. He's just gone for a little trip with
'is old pal Hardy on the _Conqueror_. Kybird's idea it was."

"Don't you know it's punishable?" demanded the shipbroker, recovering.

Mr. Smith shook his head and became serious. "The cap'n fell into 'is
own trap," he said, slowly. "There's no lor for 'im! He'd only get
laughed at. The idea of trying to get me to put little Amelia Kybird's
young man away. Why, I was 'er god-father."

Mr. Swann stared at him, and then with a friendly "good morning"
departed. Half-way along the passage he stopped, and retracing his steps
produced his cigar-case and offered the astonished boarding-master a
cigar.

"I s'pose," said that gentleman as he watched the other's retreating
figure and dubiously smelt the cigar; "I s'pose it's all right; but he's
a larky sort, and I 'ave heard of 'em exploding. I'll give it to Kybird,
in case."

[Illustration: "I 'ave heard of 'em exploding."]

To Mr. Smith's great surprise his visitor sat down suddenly and began to
laugh. Tears of honest mirth suffused his eyes and dimmed his glasses.
Mr. Smith, regarding him with an air of kindly interest, began to laugh
to keep him company.

CHAPTER XIV

Captain Nugent awoke the morning after his attempt to crimp his son with
a bad headache. Not an ordinary headache, to disappear with a little
cold water and fresh air; but a splitting, racking affair, which made him
feel all head and dulness. Weights pressed upon his eye-lids and the
back of his head seemed glued to his pillow.

He groaned faintly and, raising himself upon his elbow, opened his eyes
and sat up with a sharp exclamation. His bed was higher from the floor
than usual and, moreover, the floor was different. In the dim light he
distinctly saw a ship's forecastle, untidy bunks with frouzy bedclothes,
and shiny oil-skins hangi