uld lay his hands on. He
had, as he explained, a great weakness for poultry."

"By Jove, I can quite excuse him," said the Captain in his funny way.
"I'm partial to a chicken, myself!"

"So am I, too," remarked Mrs Strong. "It was only what might be called
`an amiable weakness' on his part, considering that probably the poor
prisoners were not too well fed."

"They were not, my dear Edith," replied her sister-in-law, "if all
accounts be true; for the French Government complained of their being
half-starved! However, be that as it may, Dufresne used to plunder away
amongst the cottagers, until their anger at losing their stock led to
his recapture and remission to durance vile. Once he actually made his
way to London; when, calling at the house of the `French Commissioner'
there, who was the agent for all the prisoners of the war, he procured a
decent dress and a passport, with which he presented himself again at
Porchester and made a triumphant return to his prison!"

"The governor must have been surprised," said Bob. "Wasn't he, auntie?"

"He was," assented his aunt. "Very much surprised, my dear."

"Did they punish him for escaping?" asked Nell. "I don't think they
ought to have, as he came back."

"No, I don't think they did," replied Mrs Gilmour. "But, my dear, I
think I've told you enough now of the castle and all belonging to it,
and must really stop, for it's time for us to be going back."

"Indeed we must, ma'am," said the Captain, "that is, if we're going over
the Victualling Yard."

"What, more sight-seeing!" exclaimed Mrs Strong in a voice of despair.
"Can't you let us off doing any more to-day?"

"Well, ma'am," pleaded the Captain apologetically, "only just one place
more and you will then have `killed all the lions'; that is, all save
the Dockyard, which Master Bob will have to tell you about."

"Do let us go, mamma! I do so want to see them making the biscuits.
They do it all by machinery, just fancy!" said Nellie coaxingly. "Do,
let us go, please, won't you?"

"Do, please," also pleaded Bob, "it will be so very jolly!"

"I suppose I must give in," sighed his mother. "Oh, Captain Dresser,
Captain Dresser, you have a good deal to answer for!"

The old sailor only chuckled in response; and, giving the necessary
orders to the boatmen, the wherry, which had come down rapidly from
Porchester, the tide having turned and being now on the ebb, was pulled
in to the Gosport shore, its pass