Scotch　hot；　on　five　hundred　pounds　as　the　price　of　tomahawking　the
  Sagamore。　　And　Cloete　waits　to　see　what　George　can　do。
  〃A　week　or　two　goes　by。　　The　other　fellow　loafs　about　the　house　as
  if　there　had　been　nothing；　and　Cloete　begins　to　doubt　whether　he
  really　means　ever　to　tackle　that　job。　　But　one　day　he　stops　Cloete
  at　the　door；　with　his　downcast　eyes：　　What　about　that　employment
  you　wished　to　give　me？　he　asks。　。　。　You　see；　he　had　played　some
  more　than　usual　dirty　trick　on　the　woman　and　expected　awful
  ructions　presently；　and　to　be　fired　out　for　sure。　　Cloete　very
  pleased。　　George　had　been　prevaricating　to　him　such　a　lot　that　he
  really　thought　the　thing　was　as　well　as　settled。　　And　he　says：
  Yes。　　It's　time　I　introduced　you　to　my　friend。　　Just　get　your　hat
  and　we　will　go　now。　。　。
  〃The　two　come　into　the　office；　and　George　at　his　desk　sits　up　in　a
  sudden　panic　…　staring。　　Sees　a　tallish　fellow；　sort　of　nasty…
  handsome　face；　heavy　eyes；　half　shut；　short　drab　overcoat；　shabby
  bowler　hat；　very　careful　…　like　in　his　movements。　　And　he　thinks　to
  himself；　Is　that　how　such　a　man　looks！　　No；　the　thing's　impossible。
  。　。　Cloete　does　the　introduction；　and　the　fellow　turns　round　to
  look　behind　him　at　the　chair　before　he　sits　down。　。　。　A　thoroughly
  competent　man；　Cloete　goes　on　。　。　。　The　man　says　nothing；　sits
  perfectly　quiet。　　And　George　can't　speak；　throat　too　dry。　　Then　he
  makes　an　effort：　　H'm！　　H'm！　　Oh　yes　…　unfortunately　…　sorry　to
  disappoint　…　my　brother　…　made　other　arrangements　…　going　himself。
  〃The　fellow　gets　up；　never　raising　his　eyes　off　the　ground；　like　a
  modest　girl；　and　goes　out　softly；　right　out　of　the　office　without　a
  sound。　　Cloete　sticks　his　chin　in　his　hand　and　bites　all　his
  fingers　at　once。　　George's　heart　slows　down　and　he　speaks　to
  Cloete。　。　。　This　can't　be　done。　　How　can　it　be？　　Directly　the　ship
  is　lost　Harry　would　see　through　it。　　You　know　he　is　a　man　to　go　to
  the　underwriters　himself　with　his　suspicions。　　And　he　would　break
  his　heart　over　me。　　How　can　I　play　that　on　him？　　There's　only　two
  of　us　in　the　world　belonging　to　each　other。　。　。
  〃Cloete　lets　out　a　horrid　cuss…word；　jumps　up；　bolts　away　into　his
  room；　and　George　hears　him　there　banging　things　around。　　After　a
  while　he　goes　to　the　door　and　says　in　a　trembling　voice：　　You　ask
  me　for　an　impossibility。　。　。　Cloete　inside　ready　to　fly　out　like　a
  tiger　and　rend　him；　but　he　opens　the　door　a　little　way　and　says
  softly：　　Talking　of　hearts；　yours　is　no　bigger　than　a　mouse's；　let
  me　tell　you。　。　。　But　George　doesn't　care　…　load　off　the　heart；
  anyhow。　　And　just　then　Captain　Harry　comes　in。　。　。　Hallo；　George
  boy。　　I　am　little　late。　　What　about　a　chop　at　the　Cheshire；　now？　。
  。　。　Right　you　are；　old　man。　。　。　And　off　they　go　to　lunch　together。
  Cloete　has　nothing　to　eat　that　day。
  〃George　feels　a　new　man　for　a　time；　but　all　of　a　sudden　that　fellow
  Stafford　begins　to　hang　about　the　street；　in　sight　of　the　house
  door。　　The　first　time　George　sees　him　he　thinks　he　made　a　mistake。
  But　no；　next　time　he　has　to　go　out；　there　is　the　very　fellow
  skulking　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　　It　makes　George　nervous；
  but　he　must　go　out　on　business；　and　when　the　fellow　cuts　across　the
  road…way　he　dodges　him。　　He　dodges　him　once；　twice；　three　times；
  but　at　last　he　gets　nabbed　in　his　very　doorway。　。　。　What　do　you
  want？　he　says；　trying　to　look　fierce。
  〃It　seems　that　ructions　had　come　in　the　basement　of　that　boarding…
  house；　and　the　widow　lady　had　turned　on　him　（being　jealous　mad）；　to
  the　extent　of　talking　of　the　police。　　THAT　Mr。　Stafford　couldn't
  stand；　so　he　cleared　out　like　a　scared　stag；　and　there　he　was；
  chucked　into　the　streets；　so　to　speak。　　Cloete　looked　so　savage　as
  he　went　to　and　fro　that　he　hadn't　the　spunk　to　tackle　him；　but
  George　seemed　a　softer　kind　to　his　eye。　　He　would　have　been　glad　of
  half　a　quid；　anything。　。　。　I've　had　misfortunes；　he　says　softly；　in
  his　demure　way；　which　frightens　George　more　than　a　row　would　have
  done。　。　。　Consider　the　severity　of　my　disappointment；　he　says。　。　。
  〃George；　instead　of　telling　him　to　go　to　the　devil；　loses　his　head。
  。　。　I　don't　know　you。　　What　do　you　want？　he　cries；　and　bolts　up…
  stairs　to　Cloete。　。　。　。　Look　what's　come　of　it；　he　gasps；　now　we
  are　at　the　mercy　of　that　horrid　fellow。　。　。　Cloete　tries　to　show
  him　that　the　fellow　can　do　nothing；　but　George　thinks　that　some
  sort　of　scandal　may　be　forced　on；　anyhow。　　Says　that　he　can't　live
  with　that　horror　haunting　him。　　Cloete　would　laugh　if　he　weren't
  too　weary　of　it　all。　　Then　a　thought　strikes　him　and　he　changes　his
  tune。　。　。　Well；　perhaps！　　I　will　go　down…stairs　and　send　him　away
  to　begin　with。　。　。　He　comes　back。　。　。　He's　gone。　　But　perhaps　you
  are　right。　　The　fellow's　hard　up；　and　that's　what　makes　people
  desperate。　　The　best　thing　would　be　to　get　him　out　of　the　country
  for　a　time。　　Look　here；　the　poor　devil　is　really　in　want　of
  employment。　　I　won't　ask　you　much　this　time：　　only　to　hold　your
  tongue；　and　I　shall　try　to　get　your　brother　to　take　him　as　chief
  officer。　　At　this　George　lays　his　arms　and　his　head　on　his　desk；　so
  that　Cloete　feels　sorry　for　him。　　But　altogether　Cloete　feels　more
  cheerful　because　he　has　shaken　the　ghost　a　bit　into　that　Stafford。
  That　very　afternoon　he　buys　him　a　suit　of　blue　clothes；　and　tells
  him　that　he　will　have　to　turn　to　and　work　for　his　living　now。　　Go
  to　sea　as　mate　of　the　Sagamore。　　The　skunk　wasn't　very　willing；　but
  what　with　having　nothing　to　eat　and　no　place　to　sleep　in；　and　the
  woman　having　frightened　him　with　the　talk　of　some　prosecution　or
  other；　he　had　no　choice；　properly　speaking。　　Cloete　takes　care　of
  him　for　a　couple　of　days。　。　。　Our　arrangement　still　stands；　says
  he。　　Here's　the　ship　bound　for　Port　Elizabeth；　not　a　safe　anchorage
  at　all。　　Should　she　by　chance　part　from　her　anchors　in　a　north…east
  gale　and　get　lost　on　the　beach；　as　many　of　them　do；　why；　it's　five
  hundred　in　your　pocket　…　and　a　quick　return　home。　　You　are　up　to
  the　job；　ain't　you？
  〃Our　Mr。　Stafford　takes　it　all　in　with　downcast　eyes。　。　。　I　am　a
  competent　seaman；　he　says；　with　his　sly；　modest　air。　　A　ship's
  chief　mate　has　no　doubt　many　opportunities　to　manipulate　the　chains
  and　anchors　to　some　purpose。　。　。　At　this　Cloete　thumps　him　on　the
  back：　　You'll　do；　my　noble　sailor。　　Go　in　and　win。　。　。
  〃Next　thing　George　knows；　his　brother　tells　him　that　he　had
  occasion　to　oblige　his　partner。　　And　glad　of　it；　too。　　Likes　the
  partner　no　end。　　Took　a　friend　of　his　as　mate。　　Man　had　his
  troubles；　been　ashore　a　year　nursing　a　dying　wife；　it　seems。　　Down
  on　his　luck。　。　。　George　protests　earnestly　that　he　knows　nothing　of
  the　person。　　Saw　him　once。　　Not　very　attractive　to　look　at。　。　。　And
  Captain　Harry　says　in　his　hearty　way；　That's　so；　but　must　give　the
  poor　devil　a　chance。　。　。
  〃So　Mr。　Stafford　joins　in　dock。　　And　it　seems　that　he　did　manage　to
  monkey　with　one　of　the　cables　…　keeping　his　mind　on　Port　Elizabeth。
  The　riggers　had　all　the　cable　ranged　on　deck　to　clean　lockers。　　The
  new　mate　watches　them　go　ashore　…　dinner　hour　…　and　sends　the　ship…
  keeper　out　of　the　ship　to　fetch　him　a　bottle　of　beer。　　Then　he　goes
  to　work　whittling　away　the　forelock　of　the　forty…five…fathom
  shackle…pin；　gives　it　a　tap　or　two　with　a　hammer　just　to　make　it
  loose；　and　of　course　that　cable　wasn't　safe　any　more。　　Riggers　come
  back　…　you　know　what　riggers　are：　　come　day；　go　day；　and　God　send
  Sunday。　　Down　goes　the　chain　into　the　locker　without　their　foreman
  looking　at　the　shackles　at　all。　　What　does　he　care？　　He　ain't　going
  in　the　ship。　　And　two　days　later　the　ship　goes　to　sea。　。　。　〃
  At　this　point　I　was　incautious　enough　to　breathe　out　another　〃I
  see；〃　which　gave　offence　again；　and　brought　on　me　a　rude　〃No；　you
  don't〃　…　as　before。　　But　in　the　pause　he　remembered　the　glass　of
  beer　at　his　elbow。　　He　drank　half　of　it；　wiped　his　mustaches；　and
  remarked　grimly　…
  〃Don't　you　think　that　there　will　be　any　sea　life　in　this；　because
  there　ain't。　　If　you're　going　to　put　in　any　out　of　your　own　head；
  now's　your　chance。　　I　suppose　you　know　what　ten　days　of　bad　weather
  in　the　Channel　are　like？　　I　don't。　　Anyway；　ten　whole　days　go　by。
  One　Monday　Cloete　comes　to　the　office　a　little　late　…　hears　a
  woman's　voice　in　George's　room　and　looks　in。　　Newspapers　on　the
  desk；　on　the　floor；　Captain　Harry's　wife　sitting　with　red　eyes　and
  a　bag　on　the　chair　near　her。　。　。　Look　at　this；　says　George；　in
  great　excitement；　showing　him　a　paper。　　Cloete's　heart　gives　a
  jump。　　Ha！　　Wreck　in　Westport　Bay。　　The　Sagamore　gone　ashore　early
  hours　of　Sunday；　and　so　the　newspaper　men　had　time　to　put　in　some
  of　their　work。　　Columns　of　it。　　Lifeboat　o