MISS DUNHAM’S RETURN. II5

ordering Eliphalet to serve a lunch’ in the cabin, said to
Miss Dunham, who had by this time removed her travel-
ling costume for the one she ordinarily wore on shipboard,
and returned to the saloon:

« At last I am captain, and it will be hard lines if I ever
have to go back to the forecastle again. Itis to you I
owe this decidedly pleasant change of position, and I want
you to understand how grateful I am for what has been
done.”

“TI prefer you would n't talk in that way, captain. You
yourself earned the promotion, and are giving me the
credit simply because I brought the good news. As a
matter of fact I had nothing to do with the appointment,
other than telling the truth regarding what you have done
since coming aboard. You never would have been made
captain of this brig if you had not deserved it, consequently
no gratitude is due me.”

Then Miss Dunham gave a detailed account of her visit
to Hong Kong, explaining what had been said to her by
the agents of the brig’s owners, how little persuasion was
necessary to gain the young captain’s appointment after it
was known what he had done, and concluded with an
eulogy on Mr. Short.

“He seems to think you were intended by nature for a
sailor, and, so far as colouring any story relative to you is
concerned, I could not begin with him. It seemed as if
he would never tire of hearing me tell about what you had
done.”

“A dear, good friend of mine, is Short,” Ben replied,