ith the faithful
attachment of a dog, albeit wanting in that expression of sagacity,
which even the dullest specimen of the canine race exhibits on all
occasions. Seth Allport seemed to be the mainspring of the boy's
action, and after a time it became almost painful to watch the two,
although the sailor had now grown accustomed to being followed about in
so eccentric a fashion--as had, indeed, the rest of the party, who were
not so distinctly singled out by the poor boy's regard; but it was all
new and strange to Ernest Wilton as he watched and wondered.

"What is the matter with the boy?" asked he presently of Mr Rawlings,
who, from the fixed observation of his companion, had been expecting the
question. "Poor fellow, he doesn't seem all right in his mind--and a
healthy, nice-looking boy, too!"

"Yes," said Mr Rawlings, tapping his forehead expressively, and
speaking feelingly as he looked affectionately at Sailor Bill, whom all
had learnt to like as they would have done a pet dog;--"something wrong
there, although I hope in time he will get over it in the same way as he
came by it, if God so wills it!"

"I suppose he's got some story attached to him, eh?" said Ernest Wilton.

"No doubt," answered Mr Rawlings; "but nobody but himself knows it!"

"How strangely you pique my curiosity! Besides, his face seems quite
familiar to me, somehow or other. Yes, it's really quite familiar," he
repeated.

"Does it?" said Mr Rawlings eagerly, hoping that the young engineer
might be able to tell something.

"Yes," replied the other, "and I cannot tell how or where I have seen
somebody like him before. But I will recollect presently, I have no
doubt, after a little more reflection."

"We picked up the poor chap at sea, half-drowned, and bleeding from a
very terrible cut across the forehead; and such a slender thin shaving
of a boy that you would not have known him to be the same as he is now!"

"Indeed!" said Ernest Wilton with greater interest even than he had
displayed before; and thereupon Mr Rawlings told the whole story of
Sailor Bill's rescue, and how he afterwards saved the life of Seth
Allport, to whom he had thenceforward attached himself; and how the
worthy sailor had refused to part with him, and brought him out west.

The young engineer had been carefully noting all the points of the
narrative while the other was speaking; and seemed to revolve the whole
circumstances of Sailor Bill's history in his mind w