he said. "I'm not allowed to have
them, you know."

"No, I suppose not," said the vision. "Just my blamed luck. There I am
with 'undreds of pounds lying around my room at 'ome careless as you
please, and then held up for a bloomin' match. What's gold to a man like
me? But a match... there you are... that's life."

He looked at Jeremy with great interest; he took in, as Jeremy realised,
every detail of his personal appearance.

"I like boys," he said. "'Ad two myself--'ealthy little nippers they
was. Both dead-'ere to-day and gone to-morrer, as you might say. Got
your nurse 'anging around anywhere?"

"Nurse?" said Jeremy indignantly. "I don't have a nurse. I'm much too
old! There is a governess, but she's over there talking to Mary. She's
my sister--but they won't bother yet--not till the Cathedral bell
begins."

"No intention of 'urting your feelings, young fellow my lad. Didn't
think you'd want a nurse of course--big chap like you. Thought you might
'ave a baby brother or such. No offence--I suppose you 'aven't begun to
smoke yet. Can't offer you some tobacco."

Jeremy coloured. The man was laughing at him.

"I'm eight if you want to know," he said, "and I'm going to school in
September."

"School!" said the mariner, sniffing contemptuously. "I don't think much
of school if you ask me. Now I never went to school, and I can't see
that I'm much the worse for not 'aving been there. Contrariwise--I've
seen many a fine promising lad spoiled by too much schoolin'. Be a man
of the world, I say; that's the direction you want to sail in."

"Did you really never go to school?" asked Jeremy.

"Not I!" relied the sailor. "Flung out at the age of six, I was, turned
into a boat sailing to the West Indies and left to shift for myself--and
'ere I am to-day a Captain of as fine a craft as you're ever likely to
see, with gold in 'er lockers and peacocks in the 'old--all in a manner
of speaking, you know."

Jeremy's eyes glittered; his face was flushed a brilliant red. Hamlet
had returned from his rabbit hunting and sat with his tongue out and a
wild adventurous eye glittering up at his master from behind his hair,
yet he was not noticed.

"You were very lucky," he said devoutly, then he went on hurriedly:
"Would you mind--you see, Miss Jones may come at any moment--would you
mind--" he choked.

"Would I mind what?" asked the Captain.

"Would you mind telling me? Are you tatooed on your body, snakes and
ships and thin