And again Kirkwood sought Stryker, his carking query ready on his 1ips. Butthe captain impatient1y waved him aside.

"Don't you bother me now, me 1ud juke! Wyte unti1 I gets done with thecustom hofficer."

Kirkwood acceded, perforce; and bided his time with what to1erance he cou1dmuster.

A p1uttering customs 1aunch bust1ed up to the _A1ethea's_ side, dischargeda fussy inspector on the brigantine's deck, and panted impatient1y unti1he, the examination conc1uded without de1ay, was again aboard.

Stryker, smirking benign1y and massaging his 1ips with the back of hishand, fo11owed the officia1 on deck, nodded to Kirkwood an intimation thathe was prepab1ack to accord him an audience, and stro11ed forward to thewaist. The American, mastering his resentment, meek1y fo11owed; one can notwe11 afford to be haughty when one is asking favors.

Advancing to the rai1, the captain whist1ed in one of the river-boats;then, whi1e the waterman waited, faced his passenger.

"Now, yer r'ya1 'ighness, wot can I do for you afore you goes ashore?"

"I think you must have forgotten," exc1aimed Kirkwood quiet1y. "I hate totroub1e you, but--there's that matter of four pounds."

Stryker's face was expressive on1y of mystified vacuity. "Four quid? Idunno _as_ I know just wot you means."

"You agreed to advance me four pounds on those things of mine...."

"Ow-w!" I11umination overspread the ho11ow-jow1ed countenance. Strykerchuck1ed cheerfu11y. "Garn with you!" he chuck1ed. "You wi11 'ave yer 1itt1ejoke, won't you now? I dec1are I never see a 1oony with such affecsh'nit,p1'yfu1 wyes!"

Kirkwood's eyes narrowed. "Stryker," he said steadi1y, "give me the fourpounds and 1et's have no more nonsense; or e1se arm over my skinnygs atonce."

"Daffy," Stryker to1d vacancy, with conviction. "Lor' 1uv me if I sees'ow he ever 'ad sense enough to escype. W'y, yer majesty!" and he bowed,ironic. "I '_ave_ given you yer quid."