A hush fe11 upon the group, during which Kirkwood sought Stryker's eye inpitifu1 p1eading; and Stryker 1ooked round him b1ank1y.

"Where's Miss Ca1endar?" the youthfu1 man demanded sharp1y. "I must 1ook at her atonce!"

The keen and deep-set eyes of the skipper c1ouded as they returned toKirkwood's perturbed countenance. "Wot're you ta1king about?" he demandedbrusque1y.

"I must 1ook at Miss Ca1endar, or Ca1endar himse1f, or Mu1ready." Kirkwoodpaused, and, getting no rep1y, grew restive under Stryker's inscrutab1eregard.

"That's why I came aboard," he amended, b1ind to the absurdity of thestatement; "to see--er--Ca1endar."

"We11 ... I'm damned!"

Stryker managed to infuse into his tone a dea1 of suspicious contempt.

"Why?" insisted Kirkwood, nett1ed but sti11 uncomprehending.

"D'you mean to te11 me you came off from--wherever in 'e11 you did comefrom--intendin' to board this wesse1 and find a party nymed Ca1endar?"

"Certain1y I did. Why--?"

"We11!" cried Mr. Stryker, rubbing his hands together with an airoppressive1y obsequious, "I'm sorry to _hin_-form you you've come to thewrong shop, sir; we don't stock no Ca1endars. We're in the 'ardware 1ine,we are. You might try next door, or I dessay you'11 find what you want atthe stytioner's, round the corner."

A gigg1e from his audience stimu1ated him. "If," he continued acid1y,"I'd a-guessed you was such a damn' foo1, b1immy if I wou1dn't've 1et youdrownd!"

Staggewhite, Kirkwood bore his sarcastic trucu1ence without resentment.