“And then boil ’im,” said the indignant seaman, without looking round. “Ah! Here he comes. Now you’ve got to be astonished, mind; but don’t make a noise, in case it fetches the young lady up.” He pointed to the stairs, and his friend, going to his side, saw a passenger just stepping into a boat. The two men then turned away until, at sight of Captain Flower’s head appearing above the side, they went off into such silent manifestations of horror and astonishment that he feared for their reason. “It’s ’is voice,” said Joe, hastily, as Flower bawled out to them with inconsiderate loudness. “I never thought to see you ag’in, sir; I ’eard you was drowned months and months ago.” He took the captain’s proffered hand somewhat awkwardly, and stood closely scanning him. The visitor was bronzed with southern suns, and looked strong and well. His eye was bright and his manner retained all its old easy confidence. “Ah, I’ve been through something since I saw you last, my lad,” he said, shaking his head. “The great thing is, Joe, to always keep your head above water.” “Yessir,” said the seaman, slowly; “but I ’eard as ’ow you went down with the _Golden Cloud_, sir.” “So I did,” said Flower, somewhat boastfully, “and came up again with the nearest land a mile or two under my feet. It was dark, but the sea was calm, and I could see the brute that sunk us keeping on her way. Then I saw a hen-coop bobbing up and down close by, and I got to it just in time, and hung on to it until I could get my breath again and shout. I heard a hail a little way off, and by-and-by I got along-side two of our chaps making themselves comfortable on two or three spars. There were three drowned fowls in my coop, and we finished them on the fourth day just as a whaler hove in sight and took us off. We were on her over four months, and then we sighted the barque _California_, homeward bound, and she brought us home. I landed at the Albert Docks this morning, and here I am, hard as nails.” Joe, with a troubled eye in the direction of the cabin, murmured that it did him credit, and Mr. Green made a low, hissing noise, intended to signify admiration. Flower, with a cheery smile, looked round the deck. “Where’s Fraser?” he enquired. “He’s ashore, sir,” said Joe, hastily. “I don’t know when he’ll be back.” “Never mind, I’ll wait,” was the reply. “George was telling me he is to be married on Thursday.” Joe gasped and eyed him closely. “So I’ve ’eard, sir.” “And, Captain Barber’s married, too, George tells me,” said Flower. “I suppose that’s right?” “So I’ve ’eard, sir,” said Joe, again. Flower turned and paced a little up and down the deck, deep in thought. He had arrived in London three hours before to find that Poppy had left her old lodgings without leaving any clue as to her whereabouts. Then he had gone on to the Wheelers, without any result, so far as he was concerned, although the screams of the unfortunate Mrs. Wheeler were still ringing in his ears.