o refuse my offer?" he said.

"Yes."

"You prefer that the young man should receive six dozen lashes
to-morrow morning."

Captain Barker winced and his mouth contracted painfully.

"My lord, I took that boy from his dead mother when he was a few
hours old. Never in his life has a hand been laid upon him in anger.
He will hardly understand what it means. But he has been taught to
know honour and to cherish it. I choose as he would choose, were he
here."

"Are you going, my lord?" added Captain Jemmy. "You have your
answer."

"Not quite yet, I fancy. Captain Barker, you told me you took this
lad from his dead mother. She was a Mistress Salt, I believe."

"Excuse me if I fail to see--"

"You will see in a moment. I am not wrong, perhaps, in supposing
that lady to have been the wife of Roderick Salt, sometime my comrade
in the Foot Guards. He married in Harwich, I remember; and in many
respects the resemblance which this lad bears to him is remarkable."

"There is no likeness in their characters, my lord."

"I daresay not; indeed, I hope not. But suppose now I inform you
that Roderick Salt is still alive--"

The Earl broke off and looked at the two captains narrowly.

"Did you know that?" he asked.

There was no answer.

"I seem to remember an expression which you, Captain Runacles, let
fall this afternoon. You told his Majesty that Tristram Salt owned
large estates. Is the boy's father aware of this?"

Again he paused for an answer, but none came.

"These estates are administered under trust, I presume. Who are the
legal trustees?"

"I am," Captain Jemmy replied, with a sudden effort.

"You alone?"

Captain Jemmy, after struggling for a moment with the wrath in his
throat, answered:

"I refuse to say."

"Well, well, the affair seems to need some explanation, but doubtless
admits of a very good one. It is none of my business, and I do not
ask you to satisfy me. But I cannot help thinking that Roderick Salt
will be hardly more astonished to find that his son is a man of large
estates than disposed to make inquiries."

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"I mean that, as father and son happen at this moment to lie aboard
the same vessel, the _Good Intent_--"

The chair which Captain Barker had been grasping and tilting
impatiently fell to the floor with a crash.

"--I foresee a scene of happy recognition and mutual explanations.
We will suppose the father to learn the truth before t