ance.

The Commodore, amused and secretly pleased, caught the little man in
his arms and dragged him away by main force.

"Messieurs," he said, slipping between them, and still panting with
the effort, "circumstances compel me to leave you together for a
while. But before I go, I must exact a _parole_ from both of you
that you will keep the peace towards each other."

"But, monsieur," Captain Barker exclaimed, "I want to kill him!"

"Doubtless; but if, sir, you have that consideration for me which you
professed by shaking hands with me just now, you will refrain.
Captain Salt will tell you, sir, that we have a small affair to
discuss together as soon as we reach France again. When that
discussion is over, no doubt he will be at your service."

The pair gave their promise reluctantly, and, as the Commodore left
the cabin, sat down, facing each other across the table--Captain Salt
with his back to the shattered stern-windows, which, a week or two
before Tristram had touched up with fresh paint and simple
enthusiasm.

They knew nothing of this. Yet the first question asked by Captain
Barker, after he had glared at his enemy in silence for twenty
minutes, was:

"Where is Tristram?"

"Tristram?"

"Ay; your son. You have seen him and have been with him."

"I do not know. I lost him."

"When? Where?"

"Two months since. We were travelling south together--"

"What right had you--"

"Excuse me, I was about to put a similar question. To begin with,
you do not deny, I suppose, that the lad is my son?" He paused a
second or two, and listened; for a sudden shout had gone up from the
galley's deck above them. He continued, "Secondly, the boy is heir
to considerable estates; thirdly, he has been so for many years;
fourthly, I am legally an administrator of those estates; fifthly,
you knew that I was alive--what the devil is that noise?"

"Never mind the noise. Proceed with your remarks."

"I have simply to say that you, Captain Barker, together with your
friend Runacles, have for years been playing off a fraud on the law,
and that I am going to exact my rights to the last farthing."

"Really, you must excuse me; but do you--a traitor, on board a French
ship--imagine that you possess any rights in England?"

There was certainly a loud trampling of feet on the galley's deck at
this moment. But Captain Barker knew that the French would make
haste to clear their dead at once and get into motion with the