t
himself in his father's hands again. The Captain stepped briskly up
the ladder and gained the galley's deck. He had given the young man
a glance and no more. It was not wonderful that he had failed to
recognise in the young _forcat_ with the shaven head and rough,
stubbly beard the son whom he had abandoned more than a month before.
Besides, he was busy composing in his mind an introductory speech to
be let off on M. de la Pailletine, in whose manner of receiving him
he anticipated some little frigidity.

However, he stepped on deck and advanced towards the officer on the
poop with a pleasant smile, doffing his laced hat with one hand and
holding forward a letter in the other. M. de la Pailletine took his
hands from beneath his coat-tails and also advanced, returning the
salute very politely.

"The Commodore de la Pailletine, I believe?"

"The same, monsieur."

The two gentlemen regarded each other narrowly for an instant; then,
still smiling, Captain Salt presented his letter, and stood tapping
the deck with the toe of his square-pointed shoe and looking amiably
about him while the Commodore glanced at the seal, broke it, and
began to read.

At the first sentence the muscles of M. de la Pailletine's forehead
contracted slightly.

"Just as I expected," said the Englishman to himself, as he stole a
glance. But he continued to wear his air of good-fellowship, and his
teeth, which were white as milk and quite even, showed all the time.

Meanwhile the Commodore's brow did not clear. He was a wiry, tall
man, of beautiful manners and a singularly urbane demeanour, but he
could not hide the annoyance which this letter caused him.
He finished it, turned abruptly to the beginning, and read it through
again; then looked at Captain Salt with a shade of severity on his
face. "Sir," he said, in a carefully regulated voice, "you may count
on my obeying his Majesty's commands to the letter." He laid some
stress on the two words "commands" and "letter."

"I thank you, monsieur," answered the Englishman, without allowing
himself to show that he perceived this.

"I am ordered"--again the word "ordered" was slightly emphasised--"I
am ordered to make you welcome on board my galley. Therefore I must
ask you to consider yourself at home here for so long as it may
please you to stay."

He bowed again, but very stiffly, nor did he offer to shake hands.
Captain Salt regarded him with his head tilted a little to one side