"Not yet. I have not applied for it. There's some talk, I fancy, of making Ferrar chief," added Pym. "Until then I keep my post." The words were not insolent, but the tone had a ring in it that betokened no civility. I thought Pym would have liked to defy Jack had he dared. Jack's voice, as he answered, was a little haughty--and I had never heard that from Jack in all my life. "I shall not take Ferrar as chief. What are you talking of, Mr. Pym? Ferrar is not qualified." "Ferrar is qualifying himself now; he is about to pass," retorted Pym. "Good-afternoon, sir." Had Pym looked back as he turned off, he would have seen Sir Dace Fontaine, who came, in his slow, lumbering manner, round the corner. Jack, who had been introduced to him, stopped to speak. But not a word could Sir Dace answer, for staring at the retreating figure of Pym. "Does my sight deceive me?" he exclaimed. "Who _is_ that man?" "His name is Pym," said Jack. "He has been my first mate on board the _Rose of Delhi_." Sir Dace Fontaine looked blacker than thunder. "What is he doing down here?" "I was wondering what," said Jack. "At first I thought he might have come down after me on some errand or other." Sir Dace said no more. Remarking that we should meet again in the evening, he went his way, and we went ours. For that evening the Squire gave a dinner, to which the Fontaines were coming, and old Paul the lawyer, and the Letsoms, and the Ashtons from Timberdale Court. Charles Ashton, the parson, was staying with them: he would come in handy for the grace in place of Herbert Tanerton, who had a real sore throat this time, and must stay at home. But now it should be explained that, up to this time, none of us had the smallest notion that there was anything between Pym and Verena Fontaine, or that Pym was related to Sir Dace. Had Jack known either the one fact or the other, he might not have said what he did at the Squire's dinner-table. Not that he said much. It occurred during a lull. Sir Dace craned his long and ponderous neck over the table towards Jack. "Captain Tanerton, were you satisfied with that chief mate of yours, Edward Pym? Did he do his duty as a chief mate ought?" "Not always, Sir Dace," was Jack's ready answer. "I was not particularly well satisfied with him." "Will he sail with you again when you go out?" "No. Not if the decision lies with me." Sir Dace frowned and drew his neck in again. I fancied he would have been glad to hear that Pym was going out again with Jack--perhaps to be rid of him. Colonel Letsom spoke up then. "Why do you not like him, Jack?" "Well, for one thing, I found him deceitful," spoke out Jack, after hesitating a little, and still without any idea that Pym was known to anybody present. Verena bent forward to speak then from the end of the table, her face all blushes, her tone resentful. "Perhaps Mr. Pym might say the same thing of you, Captain Tanerton--that _you_ are deceitful?"