“This is the nicest trip I’ve ever had,” said Lee, as he came up from an unduly prolonged tea, with a strong-smelling cigar in his mouth.  “I’ve brought your jacket up.”

“I don’t want it, thank you,” said the girl.

“Better have it,” said Lee, holding it up for her.

“When I want my jacket I’ll put it on myself,” said the girl.

“All right, no offence,” said the other airily.  “What an obstinate little devil you are.”

“Have you got any drink down there?” inquired the girl, eyeing him sternly.

“Just a little drop o’ whiskey, my dear, for the spasms,” said Lee facetiously.  “Will you have a drop?”

“I won’t have any drinking here,” said she sharply.  “If you want to drink, wait till you get ashore.”

“You won’t have any drinking!” said the other, opening his eyes, and with a quiet chuckle he dived below and brought up a bottle and a glass.  “Here’s wishing a better temper to you, my dear,” he said amiably, as he tossed off a glass.  “Come, you’d better have a drop.  It’ll put a little colour in your cheeks.”

“Put it away now, there’s a good fellow,” said the captain timidly, as she looked anxiously at the nearest sail, some two miles distant.

“It’s the only friend I’ve got,” said Lee, sprawling gracefully on the hatches, and replenishing his glass.  “Look here.  Are you on for a bargain?”

“What do you mean?” inquired the girl.

“Give me a kiss, little spitfire, and I won’t take another drop to-night,” said the new mate tenderly.  “Come, I won’t tell.”

“You may drink yourself to death before I’ll do that,” said the girl, striving to speak calmly.  “Don’t talk that nonsense to me again.”

She stooped over as she spoke and made a sudden grab at the bottle, but the new mate was too quick for her, and, snatching it up jeeringly, dared her to come for it.

“Come on, come and fight for it,” said he; “hit me if you like, I don’t mind; your little fist won’t hurt.”

No answer being vouchsafed to this invitation he applied himself to his only friend again, while the girl, now thoroughly frightened, steered in silence.

“Better get the sidelights out,” said she at length.

“Plenty o’ time,” said Lee.

“Take the helm, then, while I do it,” said the girl, biting her lips.

The fellow rose and came towards her, and, as she made way for him, threw his arm round her waist and tried to detain her.  Her heart beating quickly, she walked forward, and, not without a hesitating glance at the drunken figure at the wheel, descended into the fo’c’sle for the lamps.

The next moment, with a gasping little cry, she sank down on a locker as the dark figure of a man rose and stood by her.

“Don’t be frightened,” it said quietly.

“Jack?” said the girl.

“That’s me,” said the figure.  “You didn’t expect to see me, did you?  I thought perhaps you didn’t know what was good for you, so I stowed myself away last night, and here I am.”