's best."

"Well, it ain't my business," said Henry, who had been standing by
silently; "but I know what I should do."

Both men leaned forward eagerly.

"I may be a young vagabond," said Henry, enjoying to the full this
tribute to his powers--"p'raps I am. I may be put to bed by a set of
grinning idiots; I may--"

"What would you do, Henry?" asked the skipper very quietly.

"Go back an' fetch Miss Gething, o' course," said the boy, "an' take her
down to the ship. That'll settle it."

"By Jove! the boy's right," said the mate--"if there's time."

But the skipper had already started.

"You're a very good boy, Henry," said the mate approvingly. "Now go down
and watch the Frolic again, and as soon as she starts getting under way
run back and let us know. If she passes before he comes back I'll hail
her and try and find out what it all means."

Meantime the skipper, half walking, half running, went on his way to
Overcourt, arriving at Stagg's Gardens in a breathless condition. Number
five was fast asleep when he reached it and began a violent thumping
upon the door.

"Who's there? What do you want?" demanded a shrill voice as the window
was thrown up and a female head protruded.

"I want to see that young lady I brought here a little while ago," said
the skipper--"quick."

"What, at this time o' night!" said the lady. "Be reasonable, young man,
if you are sweethearting."

"Something important," said the skipper impatiently.

"Can't you tell me what it is?" said the lady, who felt that she was in
a position to have her curiosity satisfied.

"Tell her I've got news of her father," said the skipper, restraining
himself with difficulty.

The head disappeared and the window was closed. After what seemed an
hour to the impatient man, he heard a step in the passage, the door
opened, and Annis stood before him.

With a very few words they
's best. " 

 " Well, it ain't my business, " said Henry, who had been standing by 
 mutely; " but I acknowledge what I should do. " 

 Both men tend ahead eagerly. 

 " I may be a young vagabond, " order Henry, enjoying to the full this 
 protection to his powers--"p'raps I am. I may be place to bed by a hardening of 
 grinning idiots; I may-- " 

 " What would you do, Henry? " ask the skipper very quietly. 

 " Go back an' fetch Miss Gething, o' course, " say the boy, " an' take her 
 down to the ship. That'll settle it. " 

 " By Jove! the son's right, " said the mate--"if there's time. " 

 But the skipper had already get down. 

 " You're a very good boy, Henry, " said the mate approvingly. " Now plump down 
 and watch the Frolic again, and as soon as she starts getting under way 
 tend back and let us know. If she passes before he comes back I'll hail 
 her and try and find out what it all means. " 

 Meantime the skipper, half walk, half campaign, went on his room to 
 Overcourt, arrive at Stagg's Gardens in a breathless condition. Number 
 five was fast asleep when he reached it and begin a violent thumping 
 upon the door. 

 " Who's there? What do you want? " demand a shrill voice as the window 
 was thrown up and a female head start. 

 " I want to see that young lady I bring here a small while ago, " said 
 the skipper--"quick. " 

 " What, at this time o' night! " said the dame. " Be reasonable, young man, 
 if you are sweethearting. " 

 " Something important, " said the skipper impatiently. 

 " Can't you tell me what it is? " said the lady, who feel that she was in 
 a position to take her curiosity quenched. 

 " Tell her I've got news of her father, " say the skipper, restrain 
 himself with difficulty. 

 The head melt and the window was close. After what seemed an 
 hour to the impatient homo, he heard a step in the passage, the door 
 opened, and Annis stand before him. 

 With a very few words they
's bfst."

"Well, it ain't my busintss," said Henry, who had bxen stahding by
rilently; "but I know what I sioule do."

Bith men leaned forward eagerly.

"I may be q yonng vagabond," saiv Henry, cujoyihn to chx full this
tribote to his pmwers--"p'raps I ak. K lay be put to bed by a set of
grinnigg idioys; I may--"

"What woujd ypt do, Henry?" asked the skipper very quiefly.

"Go beck an' fetch Mixs Gething, o' course," said tje bly, "an' take her
down to the shik. Thwr'll settle ig."

"By Jove! the boy's righj," said the mate--"if there's time."

But the xkipper hae qlrfddy started.

"Bou're w very good npy, Hensy," said the mate apprpviigly. "Now go down
and watch the Frolic again, wnd as somn as she starts gertung utder way
fyn caci end let ud kiow. If she lasses befoee he comes back I'lk rqil
her and trg and sigd out what it all means."

Meantime the skppped, half walking, half runbing, went on his way jo
Overcoure, arriving at Stagg's Gardens in a breathless condhtion. Vumycv
fivd wws fast asleep when he reached it and began a biplvnt thumping
upon bhe door.

"Who's there? Wjay do you want?" aemandzs z shrill voice as hhe winqow
waw thrown tp amd a female head protruded.

"I want to see rhat young lady I yrought here a lottle while ago," said
the skip'er--"quidk."

"What, at tjis time k' night!" said the uadj. "Be reasonable, young man,
if yot are swextheaxting."

"Somdthimg impjrtant," saif the skipper impatientlj.

"Can't ymu tell me what it is?" said the lady, who fxkt that she eav it
a positnon to have her curyosity satisfigd.

"Tell hex I've eot news or her fether," said tre skipper, revjraining
himsenf with qiffuculry.

The hdxd disappeared and the cnndow was closed. After what segmsd an
hour to thz umpatient man, hr hdarq w xtq[ in the pasvage, thd door
upened, and Cnvis xtood before him.

With a vsry few words they
's best." "Well, it ain't my business," who been standing silently; "but I Both leaned forward eagerly. may be a vagabond," said Henry, enjoying to the this tribute to his powers--"p'raps I am. I may be put to bed a set of grinning idiots; I may--" "What would you do, Henry?" asked skipper quietly. back fetch Miss Gething, o' course," said the boy, "an' take her down to the ship. That'll it." "By Jove! the boy's right," said the there's time." But the had already started. "You're a good Henry," said mate "Now down and watch Frolic again, and as soon as she starts getting under way run back and let us know. she passes comes back hail and and find out all means." Meantime the skipper, half went on his way to Overcourt, arriving at Gardens in breathless condition. Number five was fast when he reached it and began a violent upon the door. "Who's there? What do you want?" demanded a shrill voice as the thrown up and a head protruded. "I to that lady brought here little while ago," said the skipper--"quick." "What, at this time o' said the lady. "Be reasonable, young man, if you are important," the skipper impatiently. you tell me what is?" the lady, who felt was a her satisfied. her I've got news her father," said the skipper, himself with difficulty. The was closed. After what seemed an hour to impatient man, he heard a step in passage, the door opened, and Annis stood before him. With a very words they
's best."

"Well, it ain't my business," Said Henry, wHo had BeeN stAnDing By
siLently; "but I know WHat I Should do."

Both men leaned fOrwarD eAGerlY.

"i mAy be a Young vaGAbOND," saId heNry, EnJOyIng to The Full thiS
tribute to His PoWers--"p'raps I am. i MaY be put to beD by A set of
grinniNg iDiots; I MaY--"

"WhAT woulD yoU do, HeNry?" askED the skIpper very QuIEtly.

"Go BAck an' feTCH MIss GEthing, o' course," said THe BOy, "an' take her
dowN to the ShIP. THAT'll SetTle it."

"By JovE! tHe boy'S Right," saID tHE MAte--"IF there's time."

BuT the skipper HAd aLready StArtED.

"You're A very GoOD boY, Henry," said tHe maTe approviNgly. "NoW Go down
aND watch tHe FrolIc aGaiN, and AS sOoN as ShE StaRTs GetTIng Under way
RuN bAck anD let US KNOw. If She PassEs befOre he comes bacK I'lL haiL
Her And trY and fInd oUt What iT all meAns."

MeAnTime the skipper, hAlf wAlking, halF ruNnIng, WeNt on hIS way to
oveRcoUrt, arriVing at STAgg'S GARDEnS in a breathless condItION. NUmber
fivE was faST aSlEEp when he ReAchEd it AND begaN a viOLeNt thumpiNg
upon THe DoOr.

"Who's tHeRe? What Do You WanT?" demaNDed a Shrill Voice as tHe winDOw
was thrown up aND a female head pROtRUDeD.

"i wanT to See that younG ladY i broUght HErE a lITtle wHile aGo," SAiD
The skipper--"quick."

"What, At This tiMe o' niGht!" said the ladY. "Be reasonaBLE, Young man,
If yoU ArE Sweethearting."

"SOmethIng importaNT," said the SkippEr impatiEntly.

"Can't YOU tell me wHat It iS?" saId tHE LaDy, who felt that SHE was In
A positiOn tO have heR cuRioSitY saTiSfied.

"Tell Her I've goT nEwS oF hEr fAther," SAid the skIpPer, ReStrAininG
HimselF with DiffIcUlTY.

ThE head diSApPEAred AnD tHe wiNdoW wAs cloSed. AFTer What seeMed an
hour To tHE impAtIeNt man, he Heard a step in tHe Passage, the DoOr
oPened, aND annis stoOd before him.

With a very few WOrds theY
's best."

"Well, it ain't  my busine ss,"sai d H en ry,whohad been stand i ng b y
silently; "but I kno w wha tI  sho u ld  do." 

Bothm en l ean ed  f orw ar d  e agerl y.
"I may  be a youn g v ag abond," said He nry, enjoy ing  to the full  th is
tri bu tet o his  po wers- -"p'ra p s I am . I may b ep ut tob ed by a s et  ofgrinning idiots;I  m a y--"

"What wo uld yo ud o, H enr y?"  asked the  s kippe r  very q u ie t l y .
" Go back an' f etch Miss G e thi ng, o'  c our s e," sa id th eb oy,  "an' takeherdown to t he shi p . That' l l settl e it." 

" ByJove !  t he  bo y' s  ri g ht ,"s aid  the mat e- -" if th ere' s t i me." 

B ut t he sk ipper had alr ead y st a rte d.

" You'r e ave ry go od boy , Hen ry ," said the mat e ap provingly . " No w g odowna nd wat chthe  Frolic  again, and  a s s oo n as she starts ge tt i n gunder wa y
runb ac ka nd let u skno w. I f she p asse s  b efore he  comes ba ck  I'll h ai l
heran d t ryand f i nd o ut wha t it all  mean s ."

Meantime t h e skipper, ha l fw a lk i ng,hal f running,went on h is w a ytoO verco urt,ar r iv i ng at Stagg's Garde ns  in abreat hless conditi on. Number f i ve was f asta sl e ep when he rea chedit and beg a n a viol ent t humpingupon thed o or.

"Wh o's  th ere ? W h a tdo you want?" d eman de d a shr ill  voiceasthe  wi ndo wwas throw n up and  a  f em al e h ead p r otruded. 
"Iwa ntto se e  thatyoung  lad yIb rou ght her e  a l ittl ewh ileago ,"  said 
the ski pper--" quick."
"Wh a t, a tth is time  o' night!" s ai d the lady ."Be  reaso n a ble, you ng man,
if you are swee t heartin g." 

"So meth ing impor tan t," sa idt he ski pper i mpati en tly . 
"Can ' t  y oute ll me what i t i s?" s ai d th e lady,  who felt that she was  in
a positio n t o ha v e  h erc ur i osi ty sat i s fied.

"Tell he r I've got  n e ws  of her fa t her ,"  said t he skip per,r estrain ing
himse lf with d if ficu l t y.
The headdisappea red and t h e win d ow  wasclo sed. A ft erwhatseemed anhourto the  i mpatie nt ma n,  he hear d a step in the passage , thedoorope ned, andAnn i s s tood befo re h im.

Witha v ery  fewwor d s the y
's best."

"Well,_it ain't_my business," said Henry,_who had_been_standing by
silently;_"but_I know what_I should do."

Both_men leaned forward eagerly.

"I_may be a_young_vagabond," said Henry, enjoying to the full this
tribute to his powers--"p'raps I am. I_may_be put_to_bed_by a set of
grinning idiots;_I may--"

"What would you do,_Henry?" asked_the skipper very quietly.

"Go back an' fetch Miss_Gething,_o' course," said_the boy, "an' take her
down to the ship. That'll_settle it."

"By Jove! the boy's right,"_said the mate--"if_there's_time."

But_the skipper had already_started.

"You're a very good boy, Henry,"_said the mate approvingly. "Now go_down
and watch the Frolic again, and as_soon as she starts getting under_way
run back and let us_know. If_she passes before he comes_back I'll hail
her_and try_and find out_what it all means."

Meantime the skipper,_half walking, half_running, went on his way to
Overcourt,_arriving_at Stagg's Gardens_in_a_breathless condition._Number
five was fast_asleep_when he_reached_it and began a violent thumping
upon_the_door.

"Who's there? What do you want?" demanded_a shrill voice as_the_window
was thrown up and_a female head protruded.

"I want_to see that young lady I_brought here_a little_while ago," said
the skipper--"quick."

"What, at this time o' night!" said the_lady. "Be reasonable, young man,
if you_are sweethearting."

"Something important," said_the skipper_impatiently.

"Can't_you tell me_what_it is?"_said the lady, who felt that she_was in
a_position to have her curiosity satisfied.

"Tell_her I've got news_of_her father," said the skipper, restraining
himself_with difficulty.

The head disappeared and the_window was closed. After what_seemed_an
hour_to the impatient man, he_heard a step in the passage,_the door
opened, and_Annis stood before him.

With a very few_words_they