I must question him."

Before long, Bob Doull was seen dragging along a tall, gaunt,
grey-headed man, with a long beard and moustache, on whose head it was
evident neither scissors nor razors had operated for many a year past.
He was dressed like a French sailor, and except for a peculiar gait and
certain movement characteristic of a British seaman, he would have been
taken for a Frenchman.

"Please, sir, this old man says as how he is my father," began Bob,
handing him aft on the quarter-deck. "Come, cheer up, and tell
Lieutenant Morton all you know."

The old man cast an inquiring, doubtful look at Morton's countenance,
but seemingly satisfied with his scrutiny, he exclaimed, "I want, sir,
to make a clean breast of it. For many years of my life I haven't known
what happiness is, and don't ever expect to know it again."

"As to that," said Morton, interrupting him, "I'll hear you by-and-by;
but first, I wish to know where you have come from, and where the
passengers and crew of this ship are now to be found?"

"I was coming to all that presently," persisted the old man. "It's of
the past I want to speak."

"But, man, lately, what have you done?--what crimes have you committed?"
exclaimed Morton.

"None that I know of," answered the seaman. "I was always a wild blade,
from the time I first set foot on a ship's deck. There was no mischief
I was not up to, no crime I feared committing. I had done many bad
things, but the worst was to come. I was still a lad, and so was my
chum, Archy Eagleshay, and another, an older man, and older in crime,
too, but he's gone to his account, as we must all go, great and small."

"You speak truth, my man," exclaimed Morton, now losing all patience.
"Again I ask you to pass over your early days, and to come to the latter
events of your career. How did you happen to be on board this ship,
among a set of Frenchmen and ruffians of all nations?"

"That was what I was coming to tell you, sir," giving a peculiar look at
Morton, who was doubtful whether it was caused by stupidity or
obstinacy. He saw, at all events, that there was no use in attempting
to draw forth the information he required before the old man was ready
to give it.

After a pause, seeing that Morton was not again going to speak, the old
man continued: "Well, as I was saying, sir, he who is gone came to
Eagleshay and me, and says he, `Are you lads ready to gain more golden
guineas than you ever set eyes on in