he's been yard-arm with some pirate or other, and he's damaged
about the figure-head. You ain't hurt in your lower works, are you,
doctor?" said the admiral.

But the doctor took no notice of the inquiry; but eagerly sipped the
contents of a glass that Charles Holland had poured out of a bottle
containing some strong Hollands, and which appeared to nerve him much.

"There!" said the admiral, "that will do you good. How did all this
damage to your upper works come about, eh?"

"Let him wash his face and hands first; he will be better able to talk
afterwards."

"Oh, thank you," said Chillingworth. "I am much better; but I have had
some hard bruises."

"How did it happen?"

"I went by myself to watch in the room where the picture was in
Bannerworth Hall."

"Where the picture was!" said Henry; "where it is, you mean, do you not,
doctor?"

"No; where it was, and where it is not now."

"Gone!"

"Yes, gone away; I'll tell you all about it. I went there to watch, but
found nobody or nothing there; but suddenly a man stepped out from
behind the picture, and we had a fight over it; after which, just as I
was getting the worst of it, Jack Pringle came in."

"The dog!" muttered the admiral.

"Yes, he came in just in time, I believe, to save my life; for the man,
whoever he was, would not have hesitated about it."

"Well, Jack is a good man," said the admiral; "there may be worse, at
least."

"Well, we had a desperate encounter for some minutes, during which this
fellow wanted to carry off the picture."

"Carry off the picture?"

"Yes; we had a struggle for that; but we could not capture him; he was
so violent that he broke away and got clear off."

"With the picture?"

"No, he left the picture behind. Well, we were very tired and bruised,
and we sat down to recover ourselves from our fatigue, and to consider
what was best to be done; but we were some time before we could leave,
and then we determined that we would take the picture away with us, as
it seemed to be coveted by the robber, for what object we cannot tell."

"Well, well--where is the picture?"

"You shall hear all about it in a minute, if you'll let me take my time.
I am tired and sore. Well, we brought the picture out, and Jack helped
me carry it till he came within a couple of hundred yards of the
cottage, and there left me."

"The lubber!" said the admiral, interjectionally.

"Well, I rested awhile, and then taking the picture on my shou