?"

"It's a boat sure enough, sir," I shouted down to him, without taking my
eyes off it. "She's a long way off, though, sir, and I think she's
drifting further away, too."

"The deuce!" exclaimed Captain Applegarth. "Can you see any one in the
boat?"

"No--no--not distinctly, sir," I replied after another searching look.
"Stay; I do--I do think there's a figure at one end! and, yes--yes--I'm
sure I noticed something that appeared like a movement, but it might
have been caused by the rocking of the sea."

"But don't you see anybody, or can't you make anything else out?"

"Only the boat, sir, and that a breeze seems coming up from the
westward. I see a white line on the water along the horizon. That's
all I can see, sir!"

"Well, that's not much use to us," he growled below, beginning his
customary "quarter-deck walk" up and down the bridge. "I wish some one
would come up from the engine-room to say they had repaired the cylinder
and that we could go ahead again!"

Almost as soon as he spoke thus I noticed Mr Stokes, who I thought was
lying down in his cabin, coming towards the forepart of the ship where
we were, from the direction of the engine-room hatchway.

"Hullo, Stokes," said the skipper, catching sight of him at once with
his eagle eye that seemed to take in everything that went on, whether
his back was turned or not. "I thought you were on the sick list still,
and ill. You oughtn't to be bustling about so soon after your accident,
my dear fellow!"

"No, but I feel better!" replied the old chief, who, although he was
still pale and shaky, had a more cheerful look on his face than the day
before, when he appeared decidedly ill. "I've been down below and I'm
glad to say Stoddart and the other artificers, who I must say have
worked well without me, you will be glad to know, have got the cylinder
cover on again. They've made a splendid job of it!"

"Stoddart himself is a splendid fellow," said the skipper
enthusiastically. "Aye, and the rest of your staff, too, my dear
Stokes. By George, you've brought us good news!"

"But that isn't all, cap'en," cried the old fellow, beaming over with a
broad smile of quiet enjoyment at the surprise the skipper showed.
"They say below that they'll be able to start the engines as soon as
there's a full head of steam on! Now what do you think of that, sir?
Isn't that good news?"

The skipper looked ready to embrace our fat chief, and I believe only
refrain