ut the expense and prolonged suffering of a trip home.

Thereafter, as a breeze was beginning to blow which bid fair to become a
"fishing breeze," it became necessary for the visitors to leave in
haste, but not before a few books, tracts, and worsted mittens had been
distributed, with an earnest invitation from the skipper of the
_Sunbeam_ to every one to repeat the visit whenever calm weather should
permit, and especially on Sundays, when regular services would be held
on deck or in the hold.

On this occasion Bob Lumpy and Pat Stiver had met and joined hands in
great delight, not unmingled with surprise.

"Well, who'd ever have expected to find _you_ here?" said Bob.

"Ah, who indeed?" echoed Pat. "The fact is, I came to be near _you_,
Bob."

"But how did it happen? Who got you the sitivation? Look alive! Don't
be long-winded, I see they're gittin' our boat ready."

"This is 'ow it was, Bob. I was shovin' Eve about the roads in the
bath-chair, as you know I've bin doin' ever since I entered your
service, w'en a gen'lem'n come up and axed all about us. `Would ye like
a sitivation among the North Sea fishermen?' says he. `The very
ticket,' says I. `Come to Lun'on to-night, then,' says he.
`Unpossible,' says I, fit to bu'st wi' disappointment; `'cos I must
first shove Miss Eve home, an' git hold of a noo shover to take my
place.' `All right,' says he, laughin'; `come when you can. Here's my
address.' So away I goes; got a trustworthy, promisin' young feller as
I've know'd a long time to engage for Miss Eve, an' off to Lun'on, an'--
here I am!"

"Time's up," cried the Admiral at this point, shaking hands with Fred
Martin; while Bob Lumsden sprang from the side of his little friend, and
there was a general move towards the boats.

"Good-bye, mate," said Skipper Fox, holding out his hand.

"Stop, friends," cried Fred, in a loud voice; "that's not the way we
part on board o' the _Sunbeam_."

Taking off his hat and looking up,--a sign that all understood, for they
immediately uncovered and bowed their heads,--the missionary skipper, in
a few brief but earnest words, asked for a blessing on the work which he
had been privileged that day to begin, that Satan might be foiled, and
the name of Jesus be made precious among the fishermen of the North Sea.

Thereafter the boats scattered towards their various smacks, their crews
rejoicing in this latest addition to the fleet. Even Groggy Fox gave it
as his op