The landlady, smiling amiably, subsided into a comfortable Windsor-chair, and shook her head at him so severely that, against his better sense, he felt compelled to demand an explanation. “There, there,” replied the landlady, “get along with you, do! Innocence!” “It’s no good, Cap’n Barber,” said one of the customers, with the best intentions in the world. “It struck me all of a heap,” said the landlady. “So it did me,” said the other man. “My missus knew it all along,” said the first man; “she said she knew it by the way they looked at one another.” “Might I ask who you’re talking of?” demanded the incensed Barber, who had given up the effort to appear unconscious as being beyond his powers. “A young engaged couple,” said the landlady. The captain hesitated. “What have you been shaking your head at me and telling me it’s no good for, then?” he demanded. “At your pretending not to have heard of it,” said the landlady. “I have not ’eard of it,” said Captain Barber, fiercely, as he took up his glass and walked towards the parlour. “I’ve got something better to do than talk about my neighbours’ affairs.” “Yes, of course you have,” said the landlady. “We know that.” The indignant Barber closed the door behind him with a bang, and, excited with the controversy, returned with a short and suspicious nod the greeting of a small man of shrunken and forlorn aspect who was sitting at the other side of the room. “Mornin’, Cap’n Nibletts,” he growled. “Mornin, sir,” said Nibletts; “how’s things?” Captain Barber shook his head. “Bad as bad can be,” he replied, slowly; “there’s no hope at all. I’m looking for a new master for my vessel.” Nibletts looked up at him eagerly, and then looked away again. His last command had hoisted the green flag at the mouth of the river in a position which claimed attention, respect, and profanity from every craft which passed, its master having been only saved from the traditional death of the devoted shipmaster by the unpardonable conduct of the mate, who tore him from his craft by the scruff of his neck and the seat of his trousers. “What about Harris?” he suggested. “I don’t like Harris’s ways,” said Barber, slowly. “Well, what about Fletcher?” said Nibletts. “Fletcher’s ways are worse than wot Harris’s ways are,” commented Captain Barber. “I can understand you being careful,” said Captain Nibletts; “she’s the prettiest little craft that ever sailed out of Seabridge. You can’t be too careful.”. “If things ’ad been different,” said the gratified owner, rolling his whisky round his mouth and swallowing it gently, “I’d have liked you to have ’ad her.” “Thankee,” said Nibletts, quietly. There was a pause, during which both men eyed the noble specimens of fish which are preserved for tavern parlours. Captain Barber took another sip of whisky.