making a fool of himself, and when he did find it out he came and
said so like a man."

"Well, yes," said the captain, "he did confess, but this must not be
passed over lightly."

"Bah! Tchah! Pah! let it be. You see if he don't come the humble
to-morrow morning, and want us to let him go to sea."

"Think so?"

"Sure of it, my dear boy. I'm not angry with him a bit. He showed that
he had some spirit in running away."

"And that he was a cur in sneaking back."

"Steady there," cried the admiral, "nothing of the kind. I say it took
more pluck to come back and face us, and own he was in the wrong, than
to run away."

The captain sat slowly sipping his port, and the subject was discussed
no more.

Then at last bedtime came.

Syd was seated in his room alone. He had washed and changed his
clothes, expecting moment by moment to be summoned to hear his fate, but
the hours had passed, and he was sick and faint with hunger and
exhaustion.

As he sat there he heard the various familiar noises in the house, each
of which told him what was going on. He recognised the jingling of
glasses on a wooden tray, which he knew meant the butler clearing the
dining-room. He heard the closing of the library door. Then there was
a long silence, followed by the rattling of shutters, the shooting of
bolts, the noise made by bars, and after another lapse, the murmur of
deep voices in the hall, the clink of silver candlesticks on the marble
slab, and a deep cough.

"They're gone up to bed," said Sydney to himself, and wearily thinking
that he would not be spoken to, and that he had better patiently try to
forget his hunger in sleep, so as to be ready for the painful interview
of the morning, he rose to undress.

But he did not begin. He stood thinking about the events of the past
twenty-four hours, and like many another, felt that he would have given
anything to recall the past.

For he was very miserable, and his misery found vent once more as he was
asking himself what would be his fate in the world.

"Yes, I've behaved like a wretched, thoughtless fool."

"Pst! Syd!"

He started and looked round, to see that the door had been slightly
opened, and that his uncle's great red face was thrust into the room.

"Yes, sir," he faltered--he dared not say, "Yes, uncle."

"Had anything to eat?" whispered the old admiral.

"No, sir."

The door closed, and the boy's spirits rose a little, for with all his
fierceness it