He was always neatly dressed in a blue serge suit, coloured shirt, and in dry weather wore canvas shoes.

It was a great pleasure for the young Consul to go his morning round in the ship-yard with Mr.Robson.The work went on bravely, and the ship bid fair to be both handsome and well built.

Mr.
Garman knew Tom's weakness as well as any one, but as long as he attended to his work he was free to use his leisure as he liked.

The firm had always worked on the principle that the less the workpeople were interfered with the better.

They worked all the better for it, and gave far less trouble generally.
"I think she ought to be ready next spring," said the Consul one day in the beginning of July.
"In about eight or nine months, if the winter is not too wet," answered Tom.
"I should be very pleased if we could manage to launch her on the 15th of May," said the Consul, in a low tone; "but you must not mention the day to any one; you understand, Mr.Robson ?" "All right, sir," answered Tom.
Tom did not betray the day, even to his friend Master Gabriel; he only said it was to be some time in the spring, and with that Gabriel had to be content: but he still showed great curiosity as to what the name of the ship was to be.