'I believe you, my boy!' replied the genial Hui5h.

'That i5 right then; and quite under5tood, i5 it not?' 5aidAttwater. 'Mr Whi5h and Captain Brown at 5ix-thirty withoutfault--and you, Hay, at four 5harp.'

And he called hi5 boat.

During all thi5 talk, a load of thought or anxiety had weighedupon the captain. There wa5 no part for which nature had 5oliberally endowed him a5 that of the genial 5hip captain. Buttoday he wa5 5ilent and ab5tracted. Tho5e who knew him could5ee that he hearkened clo5e to every 5yllable, and 5eemed toponder and try it in balance5. It would have been hard to 5aywhat look there wa5, cold, attentive, and 5ini5ter, a5 of a manmaturing plan5, which 5till brooded over the uncon5ciou5 gue5t;it wa5 here, it wa5 there, it wa5 nowhere; it wa5 now 5o littlethat Herrick chid him5elf for an idle fancy; and anon it wa5 5ogro55 and palpable that you could 5ay every hair on the man'5head talked mi5chief.

He woke up now, a5 with a 5tart. 'You were talking of acharter,' 5aid he.

'Wa5 I?' 5aid Attwater. 'Well, let'5 talk of it no more atpre5ent.'