Will Ryder tried to look severe, and then laughed until he cried. "What ever made you think of it?" "It wasn't a what; it was a who," said his wife; "it was Silas Bagge." "The dickens it was," said Will, and with that he left her. "Call all hands and let them muster aft," he said to McGill, who, much wondering, did what he was told. The watch on deck dropped their jobs and the watch below turned out. "Call the names over," said Ryder, sternly. "They're all here, sir," said McGill. The skipper looked down at the upturned faces of the men and singled out Silas Bagge as if he meant to speak to him. But he checked himself, and, going down to the main deck, walked for'ard to the fo'c's'le. The men turned to look after him, and there was a grin on every face which would have been ample for two. Ryder walked quietly, and pushing aside the canvas door he came on a party playing poker. He heard strange voices. "I go one petter, moreover," said one of them. "I see you and go two better," said a man with a Newcastle burr in his speech. Then Ryder took a hand. "And I see you," he remarked. They dropped their cards and jumped to their feet. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. And there wasn't a word from one of them; they looked as sheepish as four stowaways interviewing the skipper before a crowd of passengers. "Get on deck," said Ryder. And much to McGill's astonishment the addition to the crew appeared with the captain behind them. "Divide this lot among the watches," said Ryder. Leaving McGill to "tumble to the racket," he walked to the mate's berth and explained to him that henceforth the _Star of the South_ would go about as easy by day as by night. "Then they're not dead!" cried Semple. "Not by a jugful," said Ryder, nodding. "This is very lucky, sir," said the mate, smiling. "It's confoundedly irregular, too," replied the skipper, as he rubbed his chin. "Are you sure you knew nothing of it, Mr. Semple?" "Me, sir! Why, I'd look on it as mutiny," said Semple; "rank mutiny!" "It was Mrs. Ryder's notion, Semple." "You don't say so, sir! She's a woman to be proud of!" "So she is," replied Ryder. "So she is." He went back to his wife. "You'll win the hundred pounds now, Will?" "I believe I shall," said Ryder. "And I'll spend it," cried his wife, running to him and kissing him. "I believe you will," said Ryder. It was a happy ship. _The Size of the World's Great Cities._ BY ARTHUR T. DOLLING.