"That's quite right," replied Felix, heartily, aloud. Inwardly he told himself, "London man--look out." "Know much of the barge owners down these parts--eh?" said the stranger, wistfully. "Can't say as I do," replied Felix in his natural tones, with no assumed accent. "Want work?" The man sighed. "P'raps I do." "Better go to the Company's office," suggested Felix. "So I did. They told me old man Doggett, of the _Sarah Dawkes_, was wanting a boy. But there's nobody aboard her." "No. His boy's ill. I'm sleeping in her to oblige the Old Man." "Oh!" The stranger could not wholly keep his sudden access of interest out of his voice. "Are you the chap that took on the boy's job?" Felix laughed his scorn. "No, thank yer, mate. I work up in the town. I only oblige the old man while he's ashore." "Humph! Suppose you don't know what become of the chap as he brought down from Limehouse with him, do yer?" Felix was quite sure now. He betrayed no surprise. "Want a character of the old man out of him before you sign on to the job?" he said, playfully. "That's about the size of it--yes." "Well, I did hear he was tramping it to Plymouth. Wanted to get out of England," said Felix, slowly. There was a pause. "Got a light?" said the stranger at last. Felix produced a match. "So long, mate," said he, moving to the gang-plank. "Say--you couldn't let me sleep aboard, could you?" asked the unemployed. "Daren't risk it, mate. Hope you won't take it hard, but I can't. Clean against orders, and the night-watchman is a terror. I don't mean losing my job, even if it was to help you to get one." "Not likely. Hold hard a minute. Tell me--did you see the chap that came up on the _Sarah Dawkes_?" "Never. Casual, picked up in the streets, I gather." "And his sister with him?" said the man, urgently, in a low tone. "See here, there's money in this--what can you tell me about 'em?" Felix was aboard of the barge, and looked up from the deck with a smile. "Money from a right-to-worker?" he mocked. "Plank it down, and I'll invent sisters for you as fast as you like." "Thanks," said the man, with a change of tone. "I got out of you what I want without the money. She wasn't here when they got to Basingstoke. That's just what I thought. But where in thunder is she?" "Oh, go to blazes--you're drunk," said Felix. He turned on his heel and entered his dark sleeping-hole, trembling in every limb. CHAPTER IX THE SQUIRE DEFIES CONVENTIONS Spring is here, with the wind in her hair And the violets under her feet. All the forests have found her fair, Lovers have found her sweet. Spring's a girl in a lovely gown, Little more than a child. --ALICE HERBERT.