draw me out.

Thereupon, I told him of my being an orphan, brought up by relatives who
didn't care about me, and all about my being sent to school. I also
detailed, with much gusto, the way in which Tom and I had made our exit
from Dr Hellyer's academy, and our subsequent adventures in the coal
brig, down to the moment when I saw the last of my chum as he steamed
out of the Plymouth railway station in the Exeter train, leaving me
desolate behind.

My new friend did not appear so very much amused by the account of our
blowing up the Doctor as I thought he would be. Indeed, he looked quite
serious about it, as if it were, no joking matter, as really it was not,
but a very bad and mischievous piece of business. What seemed to
interest him much more, was, what I told him of my longing for a sea-
life, and the determination I had formed of being a sailor--which even
the harsh treatment of the _Saucy Sall's_ skipper had in no degree
banished from my mind.

"What a pity you weren't sent in the service," he said, meditatively, "I
fancy you'd ha' made a good reefer from the cut of your jib. You're
just the very spit of one I served under when I was a man-o'-war's-man
afore I got pensioned off, now ten year ago!"

"My father was an officer in the Navy," I replied rather proudly. "He
lost his life, gallantly, in the service of his country."

"You don't say that now?" exclaimed my questioner, with much warmth,
looking me earnestly in the face; "and what may your name be, if I may
be so bold? you haven't told it me yet."

"Martin Leigh," I answered, promptly, a faint hope rising in my breast.

"Leigh?--no, never, it can't be!" said the old fellow, now greatly
excited. "I once knew an officer of that very name--Gerald Leigh--and
he was killed in action up the Niger River on the West Coast, while
attacking a slave barracoon, ten years ago come next March--"

"That was my father," I here interposed, interrupting his reminiscences.

"Your father? You don't mean that!"

"I do," I said, eagerly, "I was four years old when Uncle George
received the news of his death."

"My stunsails!" ejaculated the old fellow, dashing his cap to the ground
in a fever of excitement; and, seizing both my hands in his, he shook
them up and down so forcibly that he almost lifted me off the seat.
"Think of that now; but, I could ha' known it from the sort o' feeling
that drew me to you when I saw you curled up here, all lonesome, like a
coc