lp
being well off, for your place was your own, and it didn't cost you
anything to live, so you couldn't help saving."

A great hand came down clap on the lad's shoulder, and it seemed for the
moment as if he were wearing an epaulette made out of a crab, while the
gripping effect was similar, for the boy winced.

"I say, gently, please: my shoulder isn't made of wood."

"No, I won't hurt you, boy," growled the old fellow; "but your father's
a man as talks sense, and I won't forget it. I'll be took bad some day,
and give him a job, just to be neighbourly."

"Ha, ha!" laughed Vince.

"What's the matter?" growled the old man, frowning.

"You talking of having father if you were ill. Why, you'd be obliged
to."

"Nay. If I were bad I dessay I should get better if I curled up and
went to sleep."

"Send for me, Joe Daygo," cried Mike merrily, "and I'll bring Vince
Burnet. We'll give you a mug of water out of a tar-barrel, and make you
dance with the rope's end."

"Nay, nay, nay! don't you try to be funny, young Ladle."

"_Ladelle_!" shouted the boy angrily.

"Oh, very well, boy. Only don't you try to be funny: young doctor
here's best at that."

All the same, though, the great heavy fellow broke into another fit of
wooden chuckling, nodded to both, and turned to go, but back on the
track by which he had come.

Vince gave Mike a merry look, and they sprang after him, and the man
faced round.

"What now?"

"We're coming out with you, Joe Daygo."

"Nay; I don't want no boys along o' me."

"Oh yes, you do," said Vince. "I say--do take us, and we'll row all the
time."

"I don't want no one to row me. I've got my sail."

"All right, then; we'll manage the sail, and you can steer."

"Nay; I don't want to be capsized."

"Who's going to capsize you? I say, do take us."

The man scowled at them both, and filed his sharp, aquiline nose with a
rough finger as if hesitating; then, swinging himself round, he strode
off in his great boots, which crushed down heather and furze like a pair
of mine stamps. But he uttered the words which sent a thrill through
the boys' hearts--and those words were:

"Come on!"

CHAPTER THREE.

A DAY AT SEA.

Daygo's big boots crushed something beside the heather and little tufts
of fine golden gorse; for as they went along a slope the sweet aromatic
scent of wild thyme floated to the boys' nostrils; and the bees,
startled from their quest for honey, darted to rig