's like wasting a season in the
garden. I meant him to be your Jack factotum, as the skipper used to
call it, and you never heard him say he didn't want to go to sea."

"You said you'd rope's-end me if I did," grumbled the red-faced boy.

"And so I will, you young swab," roared the gardener. "Why, you
onnat'ral young galley-dabber, are you going to turn up your ugly pig's
nose at your father's purfession?"

"Pan doesn't like the sea any more than I do," cried Sydney; "and I say
it's a shame to force boys to be what they don't like."

"Well, this beats all," cried the gardener, helping himself to a fresh
piece of tobacco. "What the world's coming to next, I dunnow. Why, if
the King, bless him! know'd o' this, it would break his heart."

"Syd! Ahoy there!" came from the dining-room window.

"Aho--"

Sydney was about to reply with a hearty sea-going _Ahoy_! but he altered
his mind and cried--

"Yes, father; I'm coming."

This was followed by a savage slap on the leg given by the ex-boatswain,
who had settled down with his master the captain at The Heronry,
Southbayton.

"Just like a loblolly boy," he growled. "You, Pan, if you was to answer
a hail like that I'd--Stop; come here."

"Yes, father, I'm coming," said the red-faced boy, with a grin; and then
he dodged while the old boatswain made a blow at his head with open
hand.

"Here, I'll speak to the skipper at once about you, youngster. Doing
the knives and boots and helping over the weeds is spyling your morals."

"Speak--what about, father?"

"Speak? What about? Why, you swab, do you think I had you chrissen
Pan-a-mar, arter a glorious naval victory, o' purpose to have you grow
up into a 'long-shore lubber? There, get indoors. 'Fore you're many
hours older I'll have you afloat."

Pan went slowly up to the house, followed by his father, who walked
along the gravel path with his legs wide apart, as if he expected the
ground to heave up; while Sydney went round to the front of the house,
and entered by the dining-room window, where his father, uncle, and the
doctor were still seated at the table.

"Why, Syd, lad, we did not see you go," said his father; "come and sit
down."

The boy obeyed, looking furtively from one to the other, as if he knew
instinctively that something particular was coming.

"Ahem!" The admiral gave vent to a tremendous forced cough.

"No, Tom, I'll tell him," said Captain Belton. "Look here, Syd, my boy,
at your