"Well, I be beat!" said the skipper. "I never seed a lad so
dumbfounded afore. What ye goin' to give me fur bringin' ye sech a
parcel, Master Noll?"

But Noll had only eyes and ears for his friend.

"Ned, Ned Thorn!" he exclaimed, looking at his friend with wide-open
eyes, as if he thought he was seeing a vision. "It is really you, only
grown a little taller!"

"Of course it is; who else should it be?" said Ned, drawing his friend
out to one of the skipper's bales, where they could both sit down.
"You're brown as an old salt, Noll; but you haven't grown a bit! Oh,
but you may believe I'm glad to see you! I thought you'd be dying by
this time to see some one from Hastings, and when the skipper pointed
out the old stone dungeon where you live, I thought likely you were
dead already. What a horrid old fortress 'tis! and weren't you awful
homesick? and aren't you terribly moped up in such quarters? and, you
dear old Noll, how _have_ you managed to live it through, anyhow?"

"Beats everything at questions, that lad does," observed Mr. Snape to
the skipper; "nigh about pestered me to death, comin' down. You'd
better charge double ef yer goin' to carry him home, 'cause it's two
days' work fur one man ter tend to his talk. I ben't goin' to do't fur
nothin'."

"They ben't glad to see each other, eh, Jack?" said Ben; "wish there
was some prospect o' taking t'other home, too."

"I sh'u'd be 'feared the 'Gull''d founder," said Mr. Snape.

Noll, in the midst of happy talk, suddenly recollected that it was
after sundown, and that Uncle Richard and the tea-table would be
waiting.

"Come, Ned," he said, gleefully, "I'd forgotten all about sunset and
home till this minute. It's a good long walk, and we must start."

"I'm ready," said Ned, jumping up. "Skipper, where's my carpet-bag?
I'm going to stay, Noll, just as long as you'll keep me; and now I'm
anxious for a look inside your old dungeon and a peep at that grim
old--that's what the skipper said he was--uncle of yours. Do you think
he'll scold because I've come?"

"Indeed not!" said Noll; "and Uncle Richard's not so very grim,
either. We'll have splendid times in the old house, and now see if you
aren't sorry when it comes time for you to leave Culm Rock."

They clambered over the "Gull's" side on to the wharf, and passed
through in the little lane which the fishermen made for them, to the
smooth and shining sand, and so started for the stone house