A SELF-ELECTED CAPTAIN. 29

with all speed to find his father, a task which was not dif-
ficult, owing to the fact that the master of the Sportsman,
having met some friends of his at the hotel, was likely to
remain there a long time.

Ben’s enthusiasm was quite as great as ever, but he
began to have doubts as to the possibility of being allowed
to carry into effect what the chief mate had termed “a
wild scheme.”

It was fully half an hour before he could gain an inter-
view with his father, and then hurriedly, as if time was of
the utmost value, he repeated all he had heard from the
sailor, and asked of the agent.

Captain Thompson listened to him patiently; made no
comments either upon the story or the scheme, and, when
Ben had concluded, said severely :

“IT make it a rule never to transact business with my
men on shore, except at the consul’s office. You could
have asked to see me at any time on board the Sportsman
before we came to anchor, but did not choose to do so.
Therefore we will defer the matter until I return to the
ship. I must say, however, that it would have been more
befitting you as a sailor to have given this information to
your captain at once, instead of withholding it in order to
go to the consignees without his knowledge.”

“T am willing to admit that, sir; but at the same time
there is some slight excuse for me in the fact that I
hoped, if I should gain the consent of the agent to the
scheme, you would be more ready to look upon it with
favour, than before anything had been done. I am quite