that."

Bob and Nellie, both of whom had been listening with intense interest to
Dick's cross-examination, were quite carried away with enthusiasm at
this happy termination of the animated discussion that had gone on.

"Oh, you dear Captain," cried Nellie, hugging the old sailor
rapturously. "You've just done what Bob and I wished."

"Have I?" said he smiling. "I don't see it, I'm sure."

"Yes, you have, you have," she replied impulsively. "Bob and I were
just going to offer the same thing when you took the words out of our
mouth."

"And the money out of my pocket, eh?" slyly added the Captain with a
chuckle--"eh, missy?"

"But we'd like to pay too," said Bob. "Let us go shares, sir."

"Not a bit of it," retorted the other, blinking away as he always
appeared to do when excited. "That was only my joke. I will pay his
fare for him when we get to Portsmouth; for, I like the pluck of the lad
in climbing on to the train like that, and not being daunted by
obstacles in carrying out a planned purpose. Can't say much for his
looks though. He seems to me half-starved."

The latter observation was uttered in an undertone, the Captain having
too much delicacy to comment on Dick's appearance in his hearing. Miss
Nellie, however, acted instantly on the suggestion, which gave it a
practical turn.

"Are you hungry, poor boy," she asked Dick--"very hungry?"

"No, miss," he answered humbly; "not pertick'ler, I be."

"But you could eat a sandwich, perhaps?" said she, opening a parcel
which their mother had put up for the refreshment of Bob and herself
during their journey. "Don't you think you could?"

Dick's eyes glistened.

"I'll try, miss," said he, trying to speak calmly; although they could
see that he was really almost ravenous at the sight of the food. "I
thinks as how I could eat a mou'ful."

"Give him the lot, poor chap," cried the old Captain; but Nellie did not
need this admonition, being in the very act of handing over the parcel
of sandwiches to Dick even while the old sailor spoke. "There's no good
in his making two bites of a cherry, as the saying goes."

"Eat these, my poor boy," cried Nellie. "Bob and I had buns at Waterloo
before the train started, and we shan't want anything till we get to
auntie's house."

"Fire away, old chap!" chimed in Bob, noticing that the lad hesitated a
moment in accepting the proffered gift. "You needn't be afraid. Nellie
and I are not hungry like you."

B