of water in the cabin. Respecting the stores,
Mr. Stodger informed us we must apply to the
agent, Mr. Batseye.

"Beg pardon, gents," said Mr. Stodger; "if
you want a prize-crew, I can pick you out five
smart hands, which I know they're up to
every –"

"We don't mean to sail wagers much," said
Philip. "My friend and I have a fancy for
handling our own craft. We shall probably
only cruise about the Wight, with an occasional,
pop over to Havre or Cherbourg, when there's
anything going on; so, you see, we don't want
anybody."

"Bless my body, gents! You never mean to
work the Minnie your two selves?"

"Such is our purpose, Mr. Stodger," replied
Philip, with some dignity. "Why not?"

"Why, she'd be off with you like a arrow.
Bolt clean away, she would; and you'd be picked
up in the Bay of Biscay, short o' water, and
living on the cat. Don't do nothing of the
kind, as you vally your lives. You don't know
the Minnie. I do. If there's anything of a
breeze, and you show but a yard o' canvas,
she's like a mad thing!"

We returned ashore; and, on making our
errand known to Mr. Batseye, that gentleman
handed us an inventory of the vessel's fabulous
stores (consisting, to our secret astonishment,
not of provisions, wines, &c., but ropes, chains,
blocks, anchors, and other indigestible things),
.and further informed us that the price was
one hundred and thirty-seven pounds fourteen
shillings – terms which, as they had been
carefully adjusted to the lowest degree short of
absurdity, were unsusceptible of further
abatement.

We consulted for a moment apart. I owned
to some little misgiving; but, observing that
Philip's heart was in the matter, and that his
love-inflamed imagination already pictured the
Minnie darting along past the green slopes of
Osborne, rounding to under full sail of
Dabchick Villa, and receiving on her ridgy deck the
fairy form of Serry Pollinger – apprehending, I
say, the vision aforesaid, I nobly pocketed my
scruples, and assented to the completion of the
bargain. We gave a cheque on the spot, and
were masters of the Minnie, thenceforward
Minnie Jimps. Mr. Batseye, at the instance
of my friend, further entered into an arrangement
by which the supply of water for the
purpose of keeping the Minnie's hold "fresh" would
be materially and very comfortably diminished.

This proved to be an affair of three or four
days, an interval employed by us in providing
sea-going togs, and other requirements. Philip,
however, usually disappeared about the hour of
the departure of the steamer for Ryde, sometimes
not returning till late at night. I certainly felt
that he might have evinced a little less reserve
as to his proceedings; but there's no relying
upon a man in love, unless he wants you for
some purpose.

On the day the Minnie Jimps was
pronounced ready for sea, my friend returned home
in high spirits. He carried a large parcel in his
hand; and, opening it with an air of exultation,
spread upon the table a large piece of bunting,
on which was wrought what appeared to be a
cauliflower grafted upon a cabbage.

"Her favourite plant," said Philip, tenderly.
"It's a water-lily. Our distinguishing flag. I've
arranged a code of signals besides. The most
complete system." And he showed me a vast
number of small flags rolled tightly up together.

Immediately after breakfast, on the following
morning, we hastened on board, just, as Philip
said, "to hoist our flag," and, furthermore, to
obtain some general information with regard to
the remarkable manœuvre of getting under
weigh, my friend having pledged his honour to
appear off Ryde on the morrow. The vessel
really looked in excellent order. The cabin
was dry and clean, the stores were all on board,
everything was in its place, as Mr. Stodger,
who was still in charge, assured us; and,
altogether, our prospects looked so clear, that we
shortly afterwards dismissed the last-named
gentleman, and determined to remain on board
the whole day, and adhere to Bulkeley's plan of
finding out everything for ourselves, instead of
listening to a mass of technical " cram."

For nearly four hours we studied ropes, and
sails, and every part of the vessel's gear, and,
as several yachts that had been moored about
us got under weigh during the morning, we had
an opportunity of watching the practical
application of the hints suggested by the mysterious
objects we had been examining. Philip's spirits
rose so high, that I had some difficulty in over-
ruling his proposal to go out at once and try
our speed against a saucy little cutter that
dashed past us with an air of challenge, and
hauled up direct for Ryde. As, however, the
duration of our cruise would be uncertain, it
was resolved to postpone it till the morrow.

In the evening, as we were sitting over our
wine, arrived Mr. Batseye. His manner was
extremely gentlemanly.

"I have to apologise, sir," he said, addressing
Philip, whom he evidently regarded as the leading
spirit, "for appearing to interpose in a
matter beyond my province; but may I inquire
if the report that has reached me be correct,
that you are preparing to go to sea in the Minnie
alone?"

"My friend, sir, accompanies me," said
Philip.

"Oh," said Mr. Batseye, "so, of course, I
apprehended. But, with regard to crew? I
am fully aware of the intrepidity, shall I call it?
which characterises our young British yachtsmen;
still, excuse me, there is a point at which
courage is lost in audacity, and I can apply no
term less emphatic to that degree of hardihood
which should take the Minnie to sea under the
circumstances you propose. Let me beg of
you to reconsider it. I can get you a couple –
I would rather say three – smart, experienced
fellows, and even then you will be short-handed."

I saw in Philip's face that the appeal was
unsuccessful. It was the difficulty of the scheme