"No," answered Mrs. Smedley, who seemed struck by the girl. "The owners won't let the captains carry their wives with them." "A ship," said Julia, "should never be so safe as when a captain's wife is on board, because of course _her_ presence would make the commander doubly vigilant and anxious." "Haw, haw!" laughed Smedley. The fish which had been ordered was now placed upon the table, and on both sides they began to eat. The waiter uncorked the champagne, and Hardy told him to fill the glasses opposite. This was resisted by Mrs. Smedley, a homely woman, who declared that for her part she loved nothing better than bitter beer. Again her husband "Haw-haw'd," and said they would see Hardy's champagne through, and then he would order another bottle. He believed it was not usual in polite society to drink champagne with fish; but it was all one to him. Champagne went down the same way, whether its messmate was fish or flesh. "Are you leaving England?" inquired Mrs. Smedley, addressing Julia, at whom she continued to look hard, though not in the least rudely, as if she found a good deal in the girl that was infinitely beyond the range of her speculations. "I am endeavouring to leave it," answered Julia, looking at her with her head a little on one side. "May I tell them your story?" said Hardy, "for we shall want our friend's influence," he added, with a nod at his old shipmate. "Oh, yes, tell them," exclaimed Julia, a little passionately; "it will account for my being in the East India Dock Road," and her face relaxed as she looked at Mrs. Smedley, who smiled upon her in a motherly way. Hardy in his blunt, sailorly fashion began. He did not spare Captain Armstrong, neither did he spare Julia's stepmother. He warmed up, and put the girl's case in forcible terms. Asked what a young English lady was to do who was, to all intents and purposes, expelled from her father's roof by the brutality of a drunken stepmother, he related some of her experiences in nursing and in seeking independence in other ways, just as she had related them to him. He spoke of his finding her unconscious by the wayside, and how he was determined to take this poor, friendless young lady by the hand, and help her to the utmost stretch of his ability to find a home, a refuge across the seas. "Don't cry, my dear," said Mrs. Smedley. "I have known more cases than yours. It is very hard--and to be motherless--but you cannot allow your heart to be broken by a bad woman; and I think you are acting wisely in resolving to go abroad." Julia put her handkerchief into her lap, and closed her knife and fork. Hardy poured some champagne into her glass, and bade her drink. "What's the lady's idea of going abroad?" said Captain Smedley, whose face exhibited no more signs of feeling than had it been a rump steak. "She has no money, and wants to work her passage out as a stewardess," replied Hardy. "And when she arrives?" said Captain Smedley.