ll tell you to-morrow!"

With this he skipped down the steps as nimbly as a two-year-old,
slamming the gate behind him to secure his retreat; and Nellie could
hear his hearty "Ho-ho!" as he went along the parade towards Portsmouth.

"What a tiresome man the Captain is!" she exclaimed petulantly, on
returning to the drawing-room, where Mrs Gilmour had remained with Bob.
"It is always `to-morrow,' and `to-morrow,' and `to-morrow'; and when
the `to-morrow' comes, he never tells us anything!"

"Fie, Nellie, you must not be impatient, my dear," said her aunt, on
hearing this outburst. "Recollect how kind and good-natured Captain
Dresser has always shown himself, who ever since you two came down here
for your holiday, putting himself out in every way to suit your
convenience, and never regarding anything as a trouble which could
conduce to your pleasure. I confess I am surprised at my little niece
Nell speaking in such a way of so good a man. If the Captain keeps you
in suspense, depend upon it his purpose is to make you enjoy the treat
he has in his mind ten times more than if you knew all about it
beforehand."

"But I hate being kept in suspense, auntie!" cried Miss Nellie rather
naughtily, tossing her head indignantly, and throwing back her golden
curls as if she were metaphorically pitching them at the offending old
sailor. "I like to know the best or worst at once. I say, Dick, has
the Captain told you anything about the treat he has for us?"

Poor Dick, who had been thoughtfully left behind by the old sailor, on
account of Mrs Gilmour having expressed her intention of going down to
the beach with the young people in the afternoon, hardly knew how to
answer the question.

He did not like to tell an untruth by saying that he had no knowledge of
the Captain's plans, nor did he wish to disoblige Miss Nell, so his
answer was of the non-committal order--a sort of `I don't recollect' in
its way.

"I can't tell, miss," was all he said, but, fortunately enough for him,
it sufficed to throw Nellie off the scent and prevent her trying any
further to worm the secret out of him; although, there is no doubt, she
would have succeeded had she persevered, and Dick was on thorns until
she went upstairs to get ready for going out, the little lady having an
insinuating manner of her own that was well-nigh irresistible.

By the time she came below again, equipped for walking, Nellie's passing
fit of ill-temper had disappeared,