e. How we made the splinters fly! Bad luck that was for
those other two to come up. Rare games we had, my boy. We must get you
a ship under some good captain."

"If you could do that for me," said Captain Belton, eagerly.

"Well, I can try and serve an old friend, even if he is a lazy one who
likes to be in dock instead of being at sea. By the way, Belton, how
old are you?"

"Fifty-eight."

"Ah, and I'm seventy. Plenty of work in me yet, though. There, I'll
bear my young friend here in mind. Come and dine with me one day next
week, Belton, for I must send you off now; you've had half an hour
instead of five minutes. Say Monday--Tuesday."

"Thank you, no," said the captain, rising. "I've done all I can, and
will get back home."

"Bah! You're a bad courtier, Belton. Stubborn as ever. You ought to
hang about here, and sneak and fawn upon me, and jump at the chance of
dining with me, in the hope that I might be able to help you."

"Yes, my lord, I suppose so," said the captain, sadly; "but if the
country wants my services it will have to seek me now. I'm growing too
old to beg for what is my right."

"And meanwhile our ships are badly handled and go to the bottom, which
would be a good thing if only their inefficient captains were drowned;
but it's their crews as well. There, good-bye, Belton. Don't come to
town again without calling on me. I'll try and serve your boy. One
moment--where are you? Oh yes, I see; I have your card. Good-bye,
middy. Remember me to the admiral."

The fierce-looking old gentleman saw them to the door, and soon after
father and son were on their way back to the hotel, and the next morning
on the Southbayton coach.

"Ah, Sydney, lad," said the captain, "we shall have to bind you
'prentice to a 'pothecary, after all."

"But Lord Claudene said he would try and serve you about me, father; and
I should be disappointed if I didn't go to sea now."

"Indeed?" said the captain, laughing. "You will have to bear the
disappointment. There are hundreds constantly applying at the
Admiralty."

"Yes, father, but you are a friend."

"Yes, my boy, I am a friend; and yet what I want I should have to be
waiting about for years, and then perhaps not succeed."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

"What!" cried Sir Thomas, when he heard the adventures in town, "you
mean to tell me that Dashleigh treated you as you say?"

"Exactly," replied his brother.

"My face show the marks much now?"