“What do you think o’ that?” he inquired, handing it over to the mate, who had been watching him curiously. “Any friend o’ yours?” inquired the mate, cautiously. “No,” said the other. “Well, I don’t think much of him,” said the mate. “Where d’you get it?” “It was given to me,” said the skipper. “He’s missing, and I’ve got to find him if I can. You might as well keep your eyes open too.” “Where are you going to look for him?” asked the mate. “Everywhere,” said the other. “I’m told that he’s likely to be in a seaport town, and if you’ll be on the look-out I’ll take it as a favor.” “I’ll do that, o’ course,” said the mate. “What’s he been doing?” “Nothing that I know of,” said the skipper; “but he’s been missing some five years, and I promised I’d do my best to find him.” “Friends are anxious, I s’pose?” said the mate. “Yes,” said the other. “I always find,” continued the mate, “that women are more anxious in these sort o’ cases than men.” “More tender-hearted,” said the skipper. “It ain’t a bad sort o’ face, now I come to look at it,” said the baffled mate, regarding it closely. “Seems to me I’ve seen somebody very much like it—a girl, I think—but I can’t say where.” “Bearded lady at a fair, I should think,” said the skipper bluffly. Conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Henry, who, seeing the photograph in the mate’s hand, at once began putting the butter away. A glance told him that the mate was holding it upside down, and conscience told him that this was for his benefit. He therefore rigidly averted his gaze while clearing the table, and in a small mental ledger, which he kept with scrupulous care for items such as these, made a debit entry in the mate’s account. “Boy,” said the skipper suddenly. “Sir,” said Henry. “You’re a fairly sharp youngster, I think,” said the skipper. “Take hold o’ that photo there.” Henry’s face suffused with a great joy. He looked derisively at the mate and took the photograph from him, listening intently to much the same instructions as had been previously given to the mate. “And you can take it for’ard,” concluded the skipper, “and let the men see it.” “The men?” said Henry in astonishment. “Yes, the men; don’t I speak plain?” retorted the skipper. “Very plain, sir,” said the boy; “but they’ll only make a muddle of it, sir. Fancy fat Sam and the cook and Dick!” “Do as you’re told!” said the other irascibly. “O’ course, sir,” said Henry, “but they’ll only worry me with a lot o’ questions as to who ’e is an’ wot you want ’im for.” “You take it for’ard,” said the skipper, “and tell them there’s a couple of sovereigns for the first man that finds him.”