“‘What does this mean, Miss Mallow?’ ses the skipper. “‘Ask him,’ ses Miss Mallow, breathing very ’ard. “‘Mr. Jackson,’ ses the skipper, very severe, ‘what have you been doing?’ “‘Nothing,’ roars the mate. “‘Was that a box on the ear I ’eard?’ ses the skipper. “‘It was,’ ses the mate, grinding his teeth. “‘Your ear?’ ses the skipper. “‘Yes. She’s mad, I tell you,’ ses the mate. ‘I was sitting here quite quiet and peaceable, when she came alongside me and slapped my face.’ “‘Why did you box his ear?’ ses the skipper to the girl again. “‘Because he deserved it,’ ses Miss Mallow. “The skipper shook his ’ead and looked at the mate so sorrowful that he began to stamp up and down the cabin and bang the table with his fist. “‘If I hadn’t heard it myself, I couldn’t have believed it,’ ses the skipper; ‘and you the father of a family, too. Nice example for the young men, I must say.’ “‘Please don’t say anything more about it,’ ses Miss Mallow; ‘I’m sure he’s very sorry.’ “‘Very good,’ ses the skipper; ‘but you understand, Mr. Jackson, that if I overlook your conduct, you’re not to speak to this young lady agin. Also, you must consider yourself as removed from the committee.’ “‘Curse the committee,’ screamed the mate. ‘Curse——’ “He looked all round, with his eyes starting out of ’is ’ead, and then suddenly shut his mouth with a snap and went up on deck. He never allooded to the affair again, and in fact for the rest of the voyage ’e hardly spoke to a soul. The young people got their cards and draughts agin, but he took no notice, and ’e never spoke to the skipper unless he spoke to ’im fust. “We got to Melbourne at last, and the fust thing the skipper did was to give our young lady some money to go ashore and buy clothes with. He did it in a very delikit way by giving her the pay as boy, and I don’t think I ever see anybody look so pleased and surprised as she did. The skipper went ashore with her, as she looked rather a odd figure to be going about alone, and comes back about a hour later without ’er. “‘I thought perhaps she’d have come aboard,’ he ses to Mr. Fisher. ‘I managed to miss her somehow while I was waiting outside a shop.’ “They fidgeted about a bit, and then went ashore to look for ’er, turning up again at eight o’clock quite worried. Nine o’clock came, and there was no signs of ’er. Mr. Fisher and Mr. Scott was in a dreadful state, and the skipper sent almost every man aboard ashore to search for ’er. They ’unted for ’er high and low, up and down and round about, and turned up at midnight so done up that they could ’ardly stand without holding on to somethink, and so upset that they couldn’t speak. None of the officers got any sleep that night except Mr. Jackson, and the fust thing in the morning they was ashore agin looking for her.