ated on a little stool before the galley door.

She was roused from it by the slight shaking and rattling of the doors
of a small hatch on the deck, not a dozen yards from where she sat. It
had been evidently fastened from below during the wet weather, but as
she gazed, the fastenings were removed, the doors were suddenly lifted,
and the head and shoulders of a young man emerged from the deck.
Partly from her father's description, and partly from the impossibility
of its being anybody else, she at once conceived it to be the new
lodger. She had time to note that he was young and good-looking,
graver perhaps than became his sudden pantomimic appearance, but before
she could observe him closely, he had turned, closed the hatch with a
certain familiar dexterity, and walked slowly towards the bows. Even
in her slight bewilderment, she observed that his step upon the deck
seemed different to her father's or the photographer's, and that he
laid his hand on various objects with a half-caressing ease and habit.
Presently he paused and turned back, and glancing at the galley door
for the first time encountered her wondering eyes.

It seemed so evident that she had been a curious spectator of his
abrupt entrance on deck that he was at first disconcerted and confused.
But after a second glance at her he appeared to resume his composure,
and advanced a little defiantly towards the galley.

"I suppose I frightened you, popping up the fore hatch just now?"

"The what?" asked Rosey.

"The fore hatch," he repeated impatiently, indicating it with a gesture.

"And that's the fore hatch?" she said abstractedly. "You seem to know
ships."

"Yes--a little," he said quietly. "I was below, and unfastened the
hatch to come up the quickest way and take a look round. I've just
hired a room here," he added explanatorily.

"I thought so," said Rosey simply; "you're the contractor?"

"The contractor!--oh, yes! You seem to know it all."

"Father's told me."

"Oh, he's your father--Nott? Certainly. I see now," he continued,
looking at her with a half repressed smile. "Certainly, Miss Nott,
good morning," he half added and walked towards the companion way.
Something in the direction of his eyes as he turned away made Rosey
lift her hands to her head. She had forgotten to remove her father's
baleful gift.

She snatched it off and ran quickly to the companion way.

"Sir!" she called.

The young man turned half way down the ste