"Why, that Vera might be resolving to convert herself into a stowaway, and go out with Pym and the ship. Poor papa! He went searching all over the vessel. He must be off his head." "Verena would not do that." "Do it?" retorted Coralie. "She'd be no more likely to do it than to go up a chimney, as the sweeps do. I told papa so. He brought me this news when he came home to dinner. And he might just as well have stayed away, for all he ate." Coralie paused to look at her game. I said nothing. "He could only drink. It was as if he had a fierce thirst upon him. When the sweets came on, he left the table and shut himself in his little library. I sent Ozias to ask if he would have a cup of tea or coffee made; papa swore at poor Ozias, and locked the door upon him. When Verena does appear I'd not say but he'll beat her." "No, no: not that." "But, I tell you he is off his head. He is still shut up: and nobody dare go near him when he gets into a fit of temper. It is so silly of papa! Verena is all right. But this disobedience, you see, is something new to him." "You can't move that bishop. It leaves your king in check." "So it does. The worst item of news remains behind," added Coralie. "And that is that Pym does not sail with the ship." "I should not think he would now. Captain Tanerton would not take him." "Papa told me Captain Tanerton had caused him to be superseded. Was Pym very much the worse for what he took, Johnny? Was he very insolent? You must have seen it all?" "He had taken quite enough. And he was about as insolent as a man can be." "Ferrar is appointed to his place, papa says; and a new man to Ferrar's." "Ferrar is! I am glad of that: very. He deserves to get on." "But Ferrar is not a gentleman, is he?" objected Coralie. "Not in one sense. There are gentlemen and gentlemen. Mark Ferrar is very humble as regards birth and bringing-up. His father is a journeyman china-painter at one of the Worcester china-factories; and Mark got his learning at St. Peter's charity-school. But every instinct Mark possesses is that of a refined, kindly, modest gentleman; and he has contrived to improve himself so greatly by dint of study and observation, that he might now pass for a gentleman in any society. Some men, whatever may be their later advantages, can never throw off the common tone and manner of early habits and associations. Ferrar has succeeded in doing it." "If Pym stays on shore it may bring us further complication," mused Coralie. "I should search for Verena myself then--and search in earnest. Papa and old Ozias have gone about it in anything but a likely manner." "Have you any notion where she can be?" "Just the least bit of notion in the world," laughed Coralie. "It flashed across me the other night where she might have hidden herself. I don't know it. I have no particular ground to go upon." "You did not tell Sir Dace?"