m his share of the task.

The following morning brought Jack a visitor of a very different but
equally thorough type, in the person of Lieutenant Philip Milsom, R.N.,
who sent in his card while the young man was still dawdling over a
rather late breakfast.

"Bring the gentleman in here," ordered Jack; and a minute later the
waiter re-appeared, conducting a dapper-looking, clean-shaven man of
medium height, attired in a suit of blue serge, the double-breasted
jacket of which he wore buttoned tight to his body. This individual
spotted Jack instantly, and, pushing the waiter on one side, bustled up
with outstretched hand to the table at which the young man was sitting,
exclaiming in a brisk, cheery voice:

"Hillo, Jack, my hearty, what cheer? Gad! what a big lump of a chap you
have become since I saw you last--how long ago?--ay, it must be more
than two years. But, nevertheless, I should have known you anywhere,
from your striking likeness to your poor father. Well, and how are you,
my lad, eh? Not very much the matter with you, I should say--and yet I
don't know; you look a trifle chalky about the gills, and your clothes
seem to hang rather more loosely than they should. What have you been
doing with yourself, eh?"

"Oh, nothing very dreadful!" laughed Jack, "only overworking myself a
trifle, so I am told. But sit down, there's a good fellow, and--have
you breakfasted, by the way?"

"Breakfasted very nearly three hours ago, my boy," was the answer. "But
if you want me to join you--I see you are still busy at it--don't be
bashful, but say so straight out, and I'll not refuse, for the journey
up has given me a fresh appetite."

"That's right," said Jack. "Now, which will you have, coffee or tea?
And you can take your choice of ham and eggs, steak, chop, and fish."

"Thanks!" said Milsom, "I'll take coffee--and a steak, rather underdone.
And while the steak is getting ready I'll amuse myself with one of
those rolls and a pat of butter, if you don't mind. I got your
telegram, by the way, or of course I shouldn't be here. What is the
job, my boy, eh? I suppose it is something that a gentleman may
undertake, or you wouldn't have thought of me, eh?"

"Of course," said Jack; "that is to say, I think so. But you must judge
for yourself whether the post is such as you would care to accept. The
fact is that, as I told you just now, I have been overworking myself;
and a specialist whom I have come down here to