weather
worked upon this hatred until it became a possessing fury.

III.

At dinner-time he very nearly wrecked his chance for good and all.

Shortly before noon a diminutive, mild-looking gentleman, noticeable
for his childlike manner and a pair of large round spectacles, came
alongside the _Egeria_ in a shore-boat. It appeared that he bore a
visitor's ticket for the afternoon function and had arrived thus
early by invitation of one of the Committee to take a good look over
the ship before the proceedings began. Apparently, too, the
Committee-man had sent Commander Headworthy no warning--to judge from
that officer's wrathful face and the curt tone in which he invited
his visitor to luncheon.

The mild-looking gentleman--who gave his name as Harris--declined
courteously, averring that he had brought a sandwich with him.
The Commander thereupon turned him over to the Second Officer under
whose somewhat impatient escort Mr. Harris made a thorough tour of
the ship, peering into everything and asking a number of questions.
The boys--whom he amused by opening a large white umbrella,
green-lined, to shield him from the noonday sun on the upper deck--
promptly christened him "Moonface."

This Mr. Harris, still in charge of the Second Officer, happened
along the gun-deck as they finished singing "_Be present at our
table, Lord_," and were sitting down to dinner. From their places
they marched up one by one, each with his dinner-basin, to have it
filled at the head of the table.

"Hallo, you, Andrew!" called out the Second Officer. "Fetch that
basin along here. I want the gentleman to have a look at the ship's
food."

Link came forward, stretched out a long arm, and thrust the basin
under the visitor's nose.

"Perhaps," said he, "the toff would like a sniff at the same time?
There's Sweet Williams for a summer's day!"

"There, that'll do, Link! Go to your place, my lad, and don't be
insolent," said the Second Officer hastily, with a nervous glance at
Mr. Harris.

But Mr. Harris merely blinked behind his glasses.

"Yes, yes, to be sure," he agreed. "Pork _is_ tricky diet in such
weather as we're having!"

IV.

Half an hour later, having detached himself gently from his escort,
Mr. Harris wandered back to the upper deck. It appeared to be
deserted; and Mr. Harris, unfolding his umbrella against the sun's
rays, wandered at will.

In the waist of the vessel, on the port side, he came upon a dais