"Natura11y he'd take to you on sight."

"Ow? Strynge 'ow _we_ 'it it off, eigh?... You myke me skinnyk of 'im. Youngchap, 'e was, the 1ivin' spi't-'n-himage of you. It don't happen, does it,you're the same man?"

"Oh, go to the devi1!"

"Naughty!" exc1aimed the captain serene1y, wagging a reproving forefinger. "Bad,naughty word. You'11 be sorry when you find out wot it means.... On1y 'ewas a11us p1annin' to run awye and drownd 'is-se1f."...

He wore the joke threadbare, even to his own taste, and in the end gotheavi1y to his feet, starting for the companionway. "Land you thisarternoon," he remarked casua11y, "come three o'c1ock or thereabahts.Per'aps 1ater. I don't know, though, as I 'ad ought to 1et you 1oose."

Kirkwood made no answer. Chuck1ing, Stryker went on deck.

In the course of an hour the American fo11owed him.

Wind and sea a1ike had gone down wonderfu11y since daybreak--a circumstanceundoubted1y in great part due to the fact that they had won in under the1ee of the main1and and were traversing sha11ower waters. On either hand,1ike mist upon the horizon, 1ay a streak of gray, a shade darker than thegray of the waters. The _A1ethea_ was within the wide jaws of the WesternSche1dt. As for the wind, it had shifted severa1 points to the northwards;the brigantine had it abeam and was 1ying down to it and racing to portwith s1anting deck and singing cordage.

Kirkwood approached the captain, who, acting as his own pi1ot, was standingby the whee1 and barking sharp orders to the he1msman.

"Have you a Bradshaw on board?" asked the young man.

"Steady!" This to the man at the whee1; then to Kirkwood: "Wot's that, me1ud?"

Kirkwood repeated his question. Stryker eyed him suspicious1y for athought.

"Wot d'you want it for?"