ked himself up into the belief that he would be sentenced to some
terrible punishment. He fidgeted about, breathed hard, looked
appealingly from the captain to the admiral and back again, and at last,
unable to contain himself longer, he burst forth into a long and piteous
howl, dropping down upon his knees, and from that attitude would have
thrown himself prone, had not Barney tightened his hold upon his collar
and shaken him up into a kneeling position again.

"Stow that!" he growled, as the admiral seized the port wine decanter as
if to throw at the boy, but altered his mind and poured himself out a
glass instead.

Then the terrible silence began again, and lasted till the captain
turned to his brother. But he did not speak, and after a few moments
longer Sir Thomas exclaimed--

"You young dog! spent all the money you got out of me, and now you've
sneaked back."

"I haven't, uncle," cried Syd, indignantly. "I didn't take it. It's on
the table in my room."

This seemed to unlock Captain Belton's lips.

"Well, sir, now you have come back, what do you want?" he said.

"I've told you, father. I've been wrong, and want you to forgive me."

"No, sir: you deserted; and now you come crawling back and want to go on
as before. Can't trust you again. Go and be a doctor."

"Will you hold up!" growled Barney, fiercely, as he shook his son, who
seemed to want to burrow down out of sight through the carpet.

"Oh, father!" began Syd. But he was stopped by his uncle.

"Hold your tongue, sir! Court hasn't called upon you for your defence.
Look here, Harry, put the prisoners back while we talk it over."

"Yes," said the captain, coldly, "you can go to your room, sir, and wait
till your uncle and I have decided what steps we shall take."

"Yes, sir, confound you! and go and wash your dirty face," said Sir
Thomas, fiercely; "you look a disgrace to your name."

"As for your boy, Strake, take him and punish him well."

"Ay, ay, sir!" growled Barney, with alacrity; but his voice was almost
drowned by a howl of misery from Pan--a cry that was checked by his
father's fierce grip.

"Like me to do down Master Syd same time, sir?" whispered the
ex-boatswain.

"No, father, don't let him be punished," said Sydney, quickly. "I made
him come back."

"Yes, sir, he did, he did," cried Pan, eagerly. "You did; didn't you,
Master Syd?"

"And I promised him he should not be punished."

"Yes, sir, he did, or else I would