long have you been there?" asked the captain, who remarked that
Owen had a cough, and looked very pale.

"Rather more than a year, sir."

"Not a very healthy life for a lad accustomed to the country. A sea
trip would do you good. Would you like to make one?"

"Very much, if Mr Fluke would allow me," answered Owen. "I should not
wish to do anything of which he might not approve."

"I'll see about it, youngster," said Captain Aggett.

Although Owen was sent on several trips of the same description to other
vessels, he was still kept too constantly at work in the office to
benefit much by them.

He naturally told Kezia of his visit to Captain Aggett, and of the
invitation he had received.

"Although I should be very sorry to have you go away from here, Owen, I
am sure that the captain is right. It is just what you want; a sea
voyage would set you up, and make a man of you, and if you remain in the
office you'll grow into just such another withered thing as the old man.
I'll speak to him, and tell him, if he wants to keep you alive and
well, he must let you take a voyage with the good captain. I have heard
of him, and Mr Fluke has a great respect for him, I know."

Mrs Kezia did not fail to introduce the subject in her usual manner.
Mr Fluke would not hear of it.

"Nonsense," he answered, "the boy does very well; he can walk to and
from the office, and eats his meals."

"He does not eat one-half what he used to do," answered Kezia; "he is
growing paler and paler every day. He has a nasty cough, and you will
have him in his grave before long if you don't take care."

"Pooh! pooh!" answered Mr Fluke. "Boys don't die so easily as that."
He turned away his head to avoid Kezia's glance.

She did not let the matter drop, however. A fortnight or more had
passed by. Mr Fluke had missed one of his favourite tulips, which grew
in a flower-pot.

On inquiring for it of Joseph: "It's all safe," was the answer, "I'm
trying an experiment with it."

Whenever Mr Fluke asked about the tulip, he always received the same
reply: "We shall see how it gets on in a few days." At length one
afternoon when he came home, somewhat to his surprise, Kezia appeared in
the garden.

"What about that tulip, Joseph, which master was asking for?" she said.

"Should you like to see it, sir?" asked Joseph.

"Of course I should," answered Mr Fluke, expecting to see the flower
greatly improved in size and beauty.

"I told Joseph