n."

"Do not be too sure of that," I said. "At all events, you may find him
the First-Lieutenant of the next ship you join, and he may not forget
your free and easy style."

"If he is worth his salt he will not harbour revenge for what I have
said or done," persisted Dicky.

However, I observed that both he and Twig were more careful than before
in their way of addressing the stranger. I heard them telling him where
we had been and some of the adventures we had gone through.

"Have you ever been out in those parts, sir?" asked Tom.

"Yes, and I know something about them, but it is a good many years ago,
probably before any of you young gentlemen were born, or so much as
thought of," answered the stranger.

"Have you been away from England lately?" asked Tom.

"For a good many years, young gentleman," answered the stranger.

"To a distant station, I suppose--to North America or the West Indies?"

"No," answered the stranger; "I have been where I hope you may never be,
and where I may never be again--kept from all you love or care for on
earth. I have been inside the walls of a French prison."

"I hope not, indeed," said Tom. "Parlez-vous Francais, Monsieur?"

"As to that, I may understand a few words, but it is no pleasant matter
to learn the lingo of one's enemies, and I felt something like an old
master who was shut up with me, and declared he would never prove such a
traitor to his country as to learn one single French word all the time
he was in prison."

In a very short time Dicky and Tom got back to their chaffing mood. I
was sorry not to have some conversation with the stranger. The latter,
however, did not seem inclined to exchange jokes with them and became
silent, every now and then, however, speaking a few words with
Oldershaw, behind whom he sat. We separated in London, where Oldershaw
took us to a respectable lodging-house with which he was acquainted, and
early the next morning we started by the coach for Lincolnshire.
Oldershaw and I occupied the only two places outside.

Just as the coach was starting, who should we see but the stranger who
had come up with us from Portsmouth.

"There is one place inside if you do not mind taking it," said the
guard. "Very sorry, otherwise you will have to wait for the night
coach, or to-morrow morning."

The stranger stepped in and the coach drove off. I need not describe
the incidents of the journey. It was dusk when we arrived at
Whithyford.