wind. For all that, if perforce he was heart-whole, there was no just
cause or impediment why he should not admire a pretty girl when he saw
one, and an exceedingly pretty girl had honored him with her company
during a brief minute of the previous day.

He was superintending the safe disposal of the last batch of cotton
goods in the forward hold--and had just found it necessary to explain
the correct principles of stowage with sailor-like fluency--when a
young lady, accompanied by a dock laborer carrying a leather
portmanteau, spoke to him from the quay.

"Is Captain Coke on board?" said she.

"No, madam," said he, lifting his cap with one hand, and restraining
the clanking of a steam windlass with the other.

"I am Mr. Verity's niece, and I wish to send this parcel to Monte
Video--may I put it in some place where it will be safe?" said she.

Hoping that the rattling winch had drowned his earlier remarks--which
were couched in an _lingua franca_ of the high seas--he began to tell
her that it would give him the utmost pleasure to take charge of it on
her account, but she nodded, bade the porter follow, ran along a
somewhat precarious gangway, and was on deck before he could offer any
assistance.

"You are Mr. Hozier, I suppose?" said Iris, gazing with frank brown
eyes into his frank blue ones. She, of course, was severely
self-possessed; he, as is the way of mere man, grew more confused each
instant.

"Well, I will just pop the bag into Captain Coke's stateroom, and leave
this note with it. I have explained everything fully. I wrote a line
in case he might be absent."

All of which was so strictly accurate that it served its purpose
admirably, though the said purpose, it is regrettable to state, was the
misleading and utter bamboozling of Philip Hozier. Miss Iris Yorke
knew quite well that Captain Coke was then closeted with David Verity
in Exchange Buildings; she knew, because she had watched him pass
through the big swing doors of her uncle's office. She also knew,
having made it her business to find out, that in fifteen minutes, or
less, the crew would muster in the fo'c'sle for their mid-day meal.
Not having heard a word of Hozier's free speech to the gentlemen of
various nationalities at the bottom of the hold, she wondered why he
was blushing.

"Shall I show you the way?" asked Philip, finding his tongue.

"No, thank you. I have been on board the _Andromeda_ many times. Ah,
Peter, I see you. W