hted not only from above by a skylight, but also by
stern-windows. In the hold, too, everything was as I should have wished
it; the timbers all perfectly sound; no sign of dry-rot anywhere; in
short, and for a wonder, the ship was everything that the advertisement
said of her, and more. So thoroughly satisfied was I with her that I
did not hesitate to tell the skipper, before I left him, that I should
certainly buy her, if the owners and I could come to terms.

"I suppose, sir, you intend to sail her yourself?" he remarked, as I
stood on the wharf taking a final look at the little beauty before
returning to my lodgings.

I answered that such was my intention.

"Well," he said, "perhaps you'll be wanting a mate. If so, I believe my
late mate would give you every satisfaction. He is a thorough seaman, a
first-rate navigator, a good disciplinarian, and a most sober, steady,
reliable man in every way, I should have liked to keep him for myself;
but it will be some months before the new steamer will be ready, and
Roberts--that is the man's name--says he can't afford to remain idle for
so long. Shall I write to him, sir, and tell him to call on you?"

I said I should be obliged if he would, and gave him an envelope bearing
my temporary address; then, shaking hands with him, and thanking him for
the readiness he had exhibited in affording me information and assisting
me in my inspection of the ship, I bade him good-bye, and made the best
of my way back to my lodgings.

On reaching these I found, as luck would have it, a letter from my late
owners conveying the gratifying intelligence that the salvage claim had
been settled, and that, upon my calling at the office, my share,
amounting to two thousand eight hundred and eighty-six pounds, and some
odd shillings, would be paid to me. It was still early in the
afternoon; I therefore snatched a hurried lunch; and immediately
afterwards chartered a cab and drove into the City; duly received my
cheque, with congratulations on my good fortune; and still had time to
open an account and safely rid myself of the precious paper before the
banks closed for the day. I dined in the City, and afterwards made my
way westward to Hyde Park, in the most unfrequented part of which I
sauntered to and fro until nearly ten o'clock--my pipe my sole
companion--carefully reviewing my plans for the last time, and asking
myself whether I had omitted from my calculation any probable element at
a