and to hear a hail ordering him back, but no one had observed
him, and he was soon landed.

"Now, lad," said the old man, "I'll take you to my house, as I promised.
Ben will no doubt come next trip. You must be smart, though, lest we
should meet any of your officers."

As it was growing dusk Dick hoped not to be seen, and soon reached a
house not far from the water's edge. The boatman, taking him into a
small room, produced a carter's frock and gaiters, with a billycock hat
and a large red handkerchief to tie round his throat.

"Put on these duds, and keep close until I come back, when you and Ben
may start together," said old Purkiss, as he left him to return to his
boat.

"Maybe he'll find it a harder matter to slip away than I did," said Dick
to himself, "and if he doesn't come, I shall look foolish. Still, I
have no fancy to go back and be bullied by that Lord Reginald and his
toady Voules."

Dick waited some hours; at last old Purkiss came back.

"Poor Ben's in for it," he said. "He was just slipping down the side
when the master-at-arms laid hands on him, and I'm afraid he's in limbo
and very little chance of getting out of it until the ship goes to sea.
Whether or not he thought something of the sort might happen, I don't
know, but he gave me these ten guineas which he wants you to take to his
wife. It won't do, however, for you to stay longer here, unless you
wish to go back and be flogged to a certainty for attempting to desert.
I'd advise you to cut and run this very night. Now, lad, fair play's a
jewel. I am helping you off, and I expect to be paid for what I'm
doing, as well as for the clothes I got for you. A five-pound note will
satisfy me, though it wouldn't if you were not a chum of my old shipmate
Ben."

Dick paid the money without hesitation, for he knew that old Purkiss
might have fleeced him, had he been so disposed, of every sixpence in
his pocket.

"Now we are clear," said the old man, who prided himself on his honesty,
"and I want to give you a piece of advice, which mind you stick to.
Don't show your cash to any one, or you'll be robbed and murdered maybe.
I'll give you change for a guinea in sixpences and coppers; don't show
too many of them either; better by far pay in coppers for the food you
want, and sleep under haystacks or in barns until you reach home. You
may get a lift in a cart or waggon, but don't let anybody know you've
been on board a man-of-war. Just say you've