"All the same, I'm tied to business and the old man can't pull his load alone.

My job's to stick to the traces and help him along.

But do you know much about the sea ?" "I was engineer on board a Pacific coasting boat and a wheat barge on the Lakes." "Well," said Vernon thoughtfully, "I know an English shipping boss who might help you get a berth.

I'd rather like you to meet him, but we'll talk about this again.

Now let's join those fellows at deck-quoits." Their friendship ripened, but it was not until the last day of the voyage Vernon said something more about the English ship-owner.
_Flaminian_ was steaming across the Irish Sea, with the high blue hills of Mourne astern and the Manx rocks ahead.