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cabin； not a sound had been audible indicating the rising of the breeze。
The owner of the yachtaccustomed to the sea； capable； if necessary； of
sailing his own vesselhad surely committed a strange mistake！ He turned
again to his friends； and made his apologies with an excess of polite regret
far from characteristic of him at other times and under other
circumstances。
〃Go on；〃 he said to Sir Joseph； when he had got to the end of his
excuses； 〃I never heard such an interesting story in my life。 Pray go on！〃
The request was not an easy one to comply with。 Sir Joseph's ideas had
been thrown into confusion。 Miss Lavinia's contradictions （held in reserve）
had been scattered beyond recall。 Both brother and sister were； moreover；
additionally hindered in recovering the control of their own resources by
the look and manner of their host。 He alarmed； instead of encouraging the
two harmless old people； by fronting them almost fiercely； with his elbows
squared on the table； and his face expressive of a dogged resolution to sit
there and listen； if need be； for the rest of his life。 Launce was the person
who set Sir Joseph going again。 After first looking attentively at Richard；
he took his uncle straight back to the story by means of a question； thus：
〃You don't mean to say that the captain of the ship threw the man
overboard？〃
〃That is just what he did； Launce。 The poor wretch was too ill to work
his passage。 The captain declared he would have no idle foreign vagabond
in his ship to eat up the provisions of Englishmen who worked。 With his
own hands he cast the hen…coop into the water； and （assisted by one of his
sailors） he threw the man after it； and told him to float back to Liverpool
with the evening tide。〃
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〃A lie！〃 cried Turlington； addressing himself； not to Sir Joseph； but to
Launce。
〃Are you acquainted with the circumstances？〃 asked Launce； quietly。
〃I know nothing about the circumstances。 I say； from my own
experience； that foreign sailors are even greater blackguards than English
sailors。 The man had met with an accident； no doubt。 The rest of his story
was a lie； and the object of it was to open Sir Joseph's purse。〃
Sir Joseph mildly shook his head。
〃No lie； Richard。 Witnesses proved that the man had spoken the truth。〃
〃Witnesses？ Pooh！ More liars； you mean。〃
〃I went to the owners of the vessel；〃 pursued Sir Joseph。〃 I got from
them the names of the officers and the crew； and I waited； leaving the case
in the hands of the Liverpool police。 The ship was wrecked at the mouth
of the Amazon； but the crew and the cargo were saved。 The men belonging
to Liverpool came back。 They were a bad set； I grant you。 But they were
examined separately about the treatment of the foreign sailor； and they all
told the same story。 They could give no account of their captain； nor of the
sailor who had been his accomplice in the crime； except that they had not
embarked in the ship which brought the rest of the crew to England。
Whatever may have become of the captain since； he certainly never
returned to Liverpool。〃
〃Did you find out his name？〃
The question was asked by Turlington。 Even Sir Joseph； the least
observant of men； noticed that it was put with a perfectly unaccountable
irritability of manner。
〃Don't be angry； Richard。〃 said the old gentleman。 〃What is there to be
angry about？〃
〃I don't know what you mean。 I'm not angryI'm only curious。 _Did_
you find out who he was？〃
〃I did。 His name was Goward。 He was well known at Liverpool as a
very clever and a very dangerous man。 Quite young at the time I am
speaking of； and a first…rate sailor； famous for taking command of
unseaworthy ships and vagabond crews。 Report described him to me as
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Miss or Mrs。？
having made considerable sums of money in that way； for a man in his
position； serving firms； you know； with a bad name； and running all sorts
of desperate risks。 A sad ruffian； Richard！ More than once in trouble； on
both sides of the Atlantic； for acts of violence and cruelty。 Dead； I dare say；
long since。〃
〃Or possibly；〃 said Launce； 〃alive； under another name； and thriving in
a new way of life； with more desperate risks in it； of some other sort。〃
〃Are _you_ acquainted with the circumstances？〃 asked Turlington；
retorting Launce's question on him； with a harsh ring of defiance in his
brassy voice。
〃What became of the poor foreign sailor； papa？〃 said Natalie；
purposely interrupting Launce before he could meet the question angrily
asked of him； by an angry reply。
〃We made a subscription； and spoke to his consul； my dear。 He went
back to his country； poor fellow； comfortably enough。〃
〃And there is an end of Sir Joseph's story；〃 said Turlington； rising
noisily from his chair。 〃It's a pity we haven't got a literary man on board
he would make a novel of it。〃 He looked up at the skylight as he got on his
feet。 〃Here is the breeze； this time；〃 he exclaimed； 〃and no mistake！〃
It was true。 At last the breeze had come。 The sails flapped； the main
boom swung over with a thump； and the stagnant water； stirred at last；
bubbled merrily past the vessel's sides。
〃Come on deck； Natalie； and get some fresh air；〃 said Miss Lavinia；
leading the way to the cabin door。
Natalie held up the skirt of her nankeen dress； and exhibited the purple
trimming torn away over an extent of some yards。
〃Give me half an hour first； aunt； in my cabin；〃 she said； 〃to mend
this。〃
Miss Lavinia elevated her venerable eyebrows in amazement。
〃You have done nothing but tear your dresses； my dear； since you have
been in Mr。 Turlington's yacht。 Most extraordinary！ I have torn none of
mine during the whole cruise。〃
Natalie's dark color deepened a shade。 She laughed； a little uneasily。 〃I
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Miss or Mrs。？
am so awkward on board ship；〃 she replied； and turned away and shut
herself up in her cabin。
Richard Turlington produced his case of cigars。
〃Now is the time；〃 he said to Sir Joseph； 〃for the best cigar of the day
the cigar after breakfast。 Come on deck。〃
〃You will join us； Launce？〃 said Sir Joseph。
〃Give me half an hour first over my books；〃 Launce replied。〃 I mustn't
let my medical knowledge get musty at sea； and I might not feel inclined
to study later in the day。〃
〃Quite right； my dear boy； quite right。〃
Sir Joseph patted his nephew approvingly on the shoulder。 Launce
turned away on _his_ side； and shut himself up in his cabin。
The other three ascended together to the deck。
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Miss or Mrs。？
SECOND SCENE。
The Store…Room。
Persons possessed of sluggish livers and tender hearts find two serious
drawbacks to the enjoyment of a cruise at sea。 It is exceedingly difficult to
get enough walking exercise； and it is next to impossible （where secrecy is
an object） to make love without being found out。 Reverting for the
moment to the latter difficulty only； life within the narrow and populous
limits of a vessel may be defined as essentially life in public。 From
morning to night you are in your neighbor's way； or your neighbor is in
your way。 As a necessary result of these conditions； the rarest of existing
men may be defined as the man who is capable of stealing a kiss at sea
without discovery。 An inbred capacity for stratagem of the finest sort；
inexhaustible inventive resources； patience which can flourish under
superhuman trials； presence of mind which can keep its balance
victoriously under every possible stress of emergencythese are some of
the qualifications which must accompany Love on a cruise； when Love
embar