“I see,” said Mrs. Hunt, with a bitter smile, “and these men have all come up prepared to swear that the boy said Sam was his father. Haven’t you?” “Yes, mum,” chorused the crew, delighted at being understood so easily. Mrs. Hunt looked across the road to the fields stretching beyond. Then she suddenly brought her gaze back, and, looking full at her husband, uttered just two words— “Oh, Joe!” “Ask the mate,” cried the frantic skipper. “Yes, I know what the mate’ll say,” said Mrs. Hunt. “I’ve no need to ask him.” “Charlie and Harry were with Sam when the boy came up to them,” protested the skipper. “I’ve no doubt,” said his wife. “Oh, Joe! Joe! Joe!” There was an uncomfortable silence, during which the crew, standing for the most part on one leg in sympathy with their chief’s embarrassment, nudged each other to say something to clear the character of a man whom all esteemed. “You ungrateful little devil,” burst out Mr. Legge, at length; “arter the kind way the skipper treated you, too.” “Did he treat him kindly?” inquired the captain’s wife, in conversational tones. “Like a fa—like a uncle, mum,” said the thoughtless Mr. Legge. “Gave ’im a passage on the ship and fairly spoilt ’im. We was all surprised at the fuss ’e made of ’im; wasn’t we, Harry?” He turned to his friend, but on Mr. Green’s face there was an expression of such utter scorn and contempt that his own fell. He glanced at the skipper, and was almost frightened at his appearance. The situation was ended by Mrs. Hunt entering the house and closing the door with an ominous bang. The men slunk off, headed by Mr. Legge; and the mate, after a few murmured words of encouragement to the skipper, also departed. Captain Hunt looked first at the small cause of his trouble, who had drawn off to some distance, and then at the house. Then, with a determined gesture, he turned the handle of the door and walked in. His wife, who was sitting in an armchair, with her eyes on the floor, remained motionless. “Look here, Polly—,” he began. “Don’t talk to me,” was the reply. “I wonder you can look me in the face.” The skipper ground his teeth, and strove to maintain an air of judicial calm. “If you’ll only be reasonable—,” he remarked, severely. “I thought there was something secret going on,” said Mrs. Hunt. “I’ve often looked at you when you’ve been sitting in that chair, with a worried look on your face, and wondered what it was. But I never thought it was so bad as this. I’ll do you the credit to say that I never thought of such a thing as this.... What did you say?... What?” “I said ‘damn!’” said the skipper, explosively. “Yes, I’ve no doubt,” said his wife, fiercely. “You think you’re going to carry it off with a high hand and bluster; but you won’t bluster me, my man. I’m not one of your meek and mild women who’ll put up with anything. I’m not one of your—”