“Seems to be no power in it,” he said smiling faintly; “but I daresay it’ll be all right by the time I get back.” He shook hands with Captain Barber and, as a tribute to conventionality, kissed Miss Banks. The last the two saw of him, he was standing at the wheel waving his handkerchief. They waved their own in return, and as the _Foam_ drew rapidly away gave a final farewell and departed. “What’s the game with the foot?” enquired the mate, in a low voice. “Tell you by-and-by,” said the skipper; “it’s far from well, but even if it wasn’t I should pretend it was bad. I suppose that doesn’t suggest anything to you?” The mate shook his head. “Can you see any way out of it?” enquired the other. “What would you do if you were in my place?” “Marry the girl I wanted to marry,” said the mate, sturdily, “and not trouble about anything else.” “And lose thirteen cottages and this ship and my berth in the bargain,” said the skipper. “Now you try and think of some other way, and if you haven’t thought of it by dinner-time, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.” No other scheme having suggested itself to the mate by the time that meal arrived, he prepared to play the part of listener. The skipper, after carefully closing both the door and the skylight, prepared to speak. “I’m in a desperate fix, Jack, that you’ll admit,” he said, by way of preparation. The mate cordially agreed with him. “There’s Poppy down at Poplar, Matilda at Chelsea, and Elizabeth at Seabridge,” continued Flower, indicating various points on the table with his finger as he spoke. “Some men would give up in despair, but I’ve thought of a way out of it. I’ve never got into a corner I couldn’t get out of yet.” “You want a little help though sometimes,” said Fraser. “All part of my plans,” rejoined Flower, airily. “If it hadn’t been for my uncle’s interference I should have been all right. A man’s no business to be so officious. As it is, I’ve got to do something decided.” “If I were you,” interrupted Fraser, “I should go to Captain Barber and tell him straight and plain how the thing stands. You needn’t mention anything about Miss Tipping. Tell him about the other, and that you intend to marry her. It’ll be beat in the long run, and fairer to Miss Tyrell, too.” “You don’t know my uncle as well as I do,” retorted the skipper. “He’s as obstinate an old fool as ever breathed. If I did as you say I should lose everything. Now, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do:—To-night, during your watch, I shall come up on deck and stand on the side of the ship to look at something in the water, when I shall suddenly hear a shout.” The mate, who had a piece of dumpling on his fork, half-way to his mouth, put it down again and regarded him open-mouthed. “My foot,” continued the skipper, in surprisingly even tones, answering his subject, “will then give way and I shall fall overboard.” The mate was about to speak, but the skipper, gazing in a rapt manner before him, waved him into silence.