Godfrey Harland perceived his manner towards him, and resolved to resent it. ‘I’ll pay that puppy out for his impertinence before many days are over,’ he thought, as he followed his employers to the saloon. By seven o’clock the whole party were seated at dinner. At the head of the table sat Dr Lennard, who was always in great request by all the ladies on board. He had a very handsome woman placed upon his right, to whom he was paying the most deferential attention; but he had soon entered into friendly conversation with the Vansittarts and Godfrey Harland, whose seats were all near him. At the other end, in the captain’s chair, sat Mr Coffin, looking strangely out of place amongst the pretty girls and well-dressed men by whom he was surrounded, and almost surly in his nervousness, as he ladled out the soup and carved the joints. Beside him was seated the third officer, who had contrived, for this evening at least, to secure a seat next to Alice Leyton, whose pretty face, merry laugh, and animated conversation kept all the men round her in a state of excitement; and especially interested a certain Captain Lovell, who could not take his eyes off her. Yes, Alice could laugh, and flirt, and enjoy herself, although Vernon Blythe was not by her side,--not even enjoying his dinner at the same time. On the poop (or, as many sailors call it, the ‘knife-board’), he paced up and down, keeping his watch till he should be relieved from duty, now and then glancing at the weather-vane, as if expectant of a sudden shift of wind. ‘I say, what do you do that for?’ inquired a voice near him, in drawling, languid tones. Jack looked round at the speaker, as if he considered the question altogether too silly to answer. ‘Is there anything up there?’ continued the new-comer, indicating the weather-vane. ‘More than there is down here by a good deal,’ replied Jack, referring to the stranger’s brains. But Harold Greenwood deserves a chapter to himself. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER IX. MR GREENWOOD.