Grand Hotel in that town. The second telegram bade Captain Wilkie cheer up, as ample bail was approaching him by the next train from the west, requesting him, if at liberty, to call at

nd both Captain Wilkie and Mr. Docketts, the marine lawyer, waitin

od, captain,” said the young m

on, and then have taken them out again. Just before I left the ship a fresh lot came aboard. At first they were going to put handcuffs on me,

nstructions,” put in Mr. Docketts

throwing himself into the easiest chair he could find, “and it

hook his hea

ld tell me everything. A point that may seem unimportant to the lay

xcellent practitioner, Clark Russell; therefore, when it comes to ships I know what I am talking about. The first point I wish to impress on you is that I am not to appear in this case. No one is to know who engages you. The second point is that no action will be fought in

which contrived subtly to convey respect for his lordship’s ra

ents, my lord, to avoid

ost unscrupulous scoundrels that the city of London has ever produced, which statement is regrettably libelous, but without prejudice, and uttered solely in the presence of friends. The law, of course, is designed to settle, briefly and inexpensively, such disputes as may be brought before it, nevertheless it is my wish that the law shall be twisted and turned from its proper purpo

wyer bowed v

nd your lordship,”

ndidly, that nothing gives me such delight as the paying of an adequate fee to a competent man. If these people should attempt any further molestation of Captain Wilkie, you are to protect h

his deferential departure. Captain Wilkie also

ptain. Has the Wy

o the Rajah to take away some of his belongings that were still in his c

actor, Schwartzbrod, I do not know what would have become of me, for I did not wish to cast any reflection upon Mackeller’s kitchen skill by desertion. But now that I have been compelled by law to de

sir, I’ll be

ychwood, I’ll go aboard for a chat with Captain Simmons,

er, the Wychwood, and Stranleigh climbed

n, you haven’

you’d sent word you was coming, earl, I’d have had dinner p

other way about. You’re coming to dine with me. I’ve invited Captain Wilkie, and we will form a hungry trio about a round table at the Grand Hotel to-night at

he girls writes to me every day. They are delighted, sir—my lord. I didn’t know till after you left that

ment till it’s asked for. That’s been my rule in life. Now, captain, take me down to your cab

y, and Stranleigh, sta

g like. This beats th

e this, sir, and a fine ship she is, too; well found and stanch. I’d like to sail

can’t be for some days yet. And now to business, captain. Old Schwartzbrod has discovered where the Rajah is, and has jumped aboard with a blooming injunction or some such lawyer’s devilment as that: tried to habeas corpus innocent old Wilkie, o

nd me, very likely?” said Captain Simmo

te Schwartzbrod will have quite enough to occupy his mind in a few days. Now, Captain Simmons, although our acquaintance has been very short, I am going to trust you fully. Since this acti

in your yacht, and perhaps he’d like this new

ningshield, and you know his gang, and he knows you. Now, I leave everything to your own discretion. If you tell Frowningshield how everything stands, there is one chance

im nothing a

; but the main point I wish you to impress upon him is this: I shall stand in Schwartzbrod’s place; that is to say, I shall make good to him, as I made good to you, every promise that rascal has given. I know that virtue is its own reward, yet I sometimes wish that virtue would oftener deal in the coin of the realm in addition. It doesn’t seem fair that all the big compensations are usually on the devil’s side. Anyhow, I trust this ship and this business entirely to you. You act as y

made one, sir,

’ll give you a check for that amount to-morrow, and you can hand i

rom you, sir,” said the captain, w

gshield, and I shall give you a sufficient number of gold sovereigns with which to pay all his men, and this will create a certain satisfaction in the camp, even although there is no spot within a thousand miles where they can spend a

chwartzbrod may charter another steame

ill hope to get possession of her. It will take him a few days to realize the extent of the law’s delay, and with such a start, together with the speed of the Wychwood you will find no difficulty about fil

, they would pay no attention to him. Show him that he can make more money by being honest than by following the lead of old Schwartzbrod. Tell him you have received your nine thousand pounds—and, by the way, that reminds me I had better give you the check tonight before dinner, so that you can post it to your bank at Southampton, and receive the bank’s receipt for it before you sail. The deposit receipt will be just as cheering to Mrs. Simmons as the check would be—and then you can tell Frowningshield, quite conscientiously, that the money is already in your hands. I always believe in telling the truth to a pirat

m to sink Schwar

t fill the hold with ore which a hundred and fifty men refuse to allow them to touch. You don’t need to fight. If Frowning-shield will just line

return. Now, captain, I think you understand pretty well what your new duties are, so get off for the south just as quickly as you can. Meanwhile we must be moving on toward the Grand Hotel. I’m rat

the night. He was anxious to hear what had become of the Rajah, and what had happened to Captain Wilkie threatened with imprisonment

been handed in at London the night before. At first Mackeller thought it was in cipher, but a close st

on, one fourth glass of brandy or sherry. Rub the butter, flour, and sugar well together, mix in the eggs after beating th

the purport of this communication. He detained the telegraph boy long enough to

done about the

ned, and bestowed upon the impatient and now

ee hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin, half a pint of water, and some puff paste crust to cover. Stew for half an hour, and when done strain off the liquor for gravy. Put a layer of fowl at the bottom of a pie d

he thinks that’s funny, but it will cost him

” said the t

reckless by example, he wrote a more len

x it with hard coal from the north, quick fire and a hot oven. When completely baked run into molds of sand, and place in a deep cellar to cool. Save the money you are wasting on the postoff

ning an an

-junctioned. I expect it will be a long time before the Rajah gets out of court. Captain Wilkie is all right, and back on my yacht. The Wychwood, with Simmons in command, is off to Paramakab

uld come to the knowledge that the Rajah was tied up with the red tape of the law, as immovable in her berth as if she had been chained to the breakwater by cables of steel. He was determined that Schwartzbrod should not further complicate the situation by sending out another steamer on an ore-stealing expedition to West Africa;

been said in the document signed about payment in advance, but Stranleigh rang off, and left the financier guessing. When, some minutes later, Schwartzbrod got once more i

had been so anxious to know what the cause of the summons was that he found himself ten minutes before the half hour, and that ten m

and, as I expect to leave London shortly, I thought we might as well get it over.” Stranleigh sat down in a

in the papers you signed saying that any payment

then, to payi

mmodation to you. The first payment, you s

ve nothing to

expect to be called on to pay until

e just. The steamer, then, hasn’

ay, my lord, whether she

ill at Sou

my l

eturned since

my

more to himself than to the other. “Shows ho

ook, searched slowly among some slips of loose paper,

o shortly before we had been in negotiation regarding the Rajah; successful and pleasant negotiation, if I remember rightly, and I sig

, perfectly satisfied. Yes, you very ki

merely an experiment. It had something to do with the cattle bu

to say the business has not be

s there are exceptions. Now, you said to me that if the experiment did not prove successful, wh

not returne

a few days after we foregathered in this house the

e, my lord. Would you

ok the slip of paper, adjusting his glasses to see the bet

“still, it is definite enough. ‘Steamer Rajah, C

brod at last, having collected his wits. “The ca

fine, bluff old honest tar, one of the bulwarks of Britain. So Simmon

esign in midoc

known captains transferred from one

rd, unless one vessel was disabled, and

g devils of sea captains do things once they are out of our sig

ust now they were the

ey do not always pay that scrupulous attention to the law which animates our business men in the city of London, for instance. A captain out of the jurisdiction of England, much as it may shock you to hear it, will dare to do things that would make our hair stand on end, and

h his open hand. Lord Stranleigh beamed across at him with kindly expectancy, as if wishin

than I, my lord. I had always supposed them to be a rough-an

something like five acres, stretching down to Southampton water. There was a cottage and a veranda, and the veranda seemed to lure Captain Simmons with its prospect of peace, as he passed up Southampton water in command of the disreputable old Rajah. But Simmons never could succeed in saving the money to buy this modest homestead, but at last far more than the money necessary was offered him if he did a c

ng lower and lower in his chair. His face was ghastly: only the eyes seemed alive, and they were fixed immovably on his

Schwartzbrod? Would you

for an answer

soda,” he said, “also

autious sip or two of

mes mentione

afe in London, and others were taking the risk. They were to take the risk, and he was to secure the property. I even doubt if he intended to give the recompense he

ch a sum was offered him, that he w

’ll buy that little place and present it to you. I am willing myself to subscribe part of the money,’ and so Simmons struck. He is off, I understand, on another steamer. He has influential friends who

lp of the whisky and soda.

ou have called a busy man like me to the West En

ribe to many charitie

r, without troubling with other people. I believe in being just be

poor fellows get under the harrow, and surely we may stop our cultivation

he whisky and soda, but

here is business mixed with it. But you, Schwartzbrod, try to place the worst side of yourse

my lord, and I do not understan

ngs that I think no other business man in London would attempt. You do good by stealth, and blush to find i

do you

ld and his hundred and fi

hwartzbrod, sprin

s all in the day’s work, and a mining engineer mus

g to do with

the running of the ore to Lisbon; when I heard all this, so prejudiced was my brain that I said to myself: ‘Here I’ve caught the biggest thief in the world.’ But when I learned that you had done it, I saw at once what your object was. You were g

roat a liquor glass full of bra

e City of London. They’re all men of law there. You are not a thief, are you, Mr. Schwartzbrod? No. Then sit down, honest man, and write me a check for the nine thousand pounds I have already paid to Captain Simmons, and for the amount which you promised to Frowningshield. I accept the benefit of your generosity in the same spirit in which it is tendered. I do

down at the table and drew forth