CHAPTER X. 



He looked expectantly on the cabin table for a letter upon his return to the ship, but was disappointed, and the only letter yielded by the post next morning came from Captain Barber. It was couched in terms of great resignation, and after bemoaning the unfortunate skipper’s untimely demise in language of great strength, wound up with a little Scripture and asked the mate to act as master and sail the schooner home. 

"You’ll act as mate, Ben, to take her back," said the new skipper, thrusting the letter in his pocket. 

"Aye, aye, sir," said Ben, with a side glance at Joe, "but I’ll keep for’ard, if you don’t mind." 

"As you please," said Fraser, staring. 

"And you’re master, I s’pose?" said Joe, turning to Fraser. 

Fraser, whose manner had already effected the little change rendered necessary by his promotion from mate to master, nodded curtly, and the crew, after another exchange of looks, resumed their work without a word. Their behaviour all day was docile, not to say lamb-like, and it was not until evening that the new skipper found it necessary to enforce his authority. 

The exciting cause of the unpleasantness was Mr. William Green, a slim, furtive-eyed young man, whom Fraser took on in the afternoon to fill the vacancy caused by Ben’s promotion. He had not been on board half an hour before trouble arose from his attempt to introduce the manners of the drawing-room into the forecastle. 

"Mr. Will-yum Green," repeated Joe, when the new arrival had introduced himself; "well, you’ll be Bill ’ere." 
Why was the man upset after returning?
He looked expectantly on the cabin table for a letter upon his return