foam astern.

The Skipper slept on heavily while Captain Trevor stayed upon the
bridge all night, with his chief officer and the pilot, the fast boat
tearing through the heavy swell, which they entered as soon as they
were out of the shelter of the Isle of Wight. For the Captain's orders
were urgent, and he was to get right away at once.

"Good-bye, dear old home," said the Captain, as he stood on the bridge,
feeling his ship quiver like a live thing as she raced along. For the
last link which tied them to the shore, seemed to him to be broken,
when the "Flash's" engines were stopped for the pilot to go down into
his boat, which dropped astern into the darkness directly the gong
sounded for the engines to go on ahead: and away she raced, once more,
through the black darkness, with nothing to guide her upon her journey
through the pathless sea, except a little flickering quivering
needle--the sailor's companion the great world round--the friend which
always, no matter where they may be, points with its tiny finger
constantly to the north.

Towards morning Captain Trevor went down twice into his cabin, and the
second time stayed for a few minutes, to drink the cup of tea his
servant brought him; but he did not hear the breath of the sleeper in
his berth, and he went up again to stay upon the bridge, for the
weather promised to be hot and dull and hazy, and the Captain gave his
orders to the navigating officers to keep on at a good speed, for, he
said, he was afraid they would find fog in the mouth of the Channel,
and he hoped to get out well to sea, before the sun was high.

Everything goes like clockwork on board a man-of-war, and just before
breakfast-time Captain Trevor went down to his cabin to wash and
prepare for the morning meal; he had hardly thrown off his coat, when,
there was a faint sound in his berth, and, to his astonishment, the
Skipper rolled out, bump! on to the floor, rose, staggered with his
hands stretched out, and then, before his father could catch him,
charged at the opposite bulkhead, and went down again.

For a few moments the Captain, in his wonder, could not speak. Then as
the boy struggled to his knees, looking horribly white, he cried out
angrily:

"Good gracious, boy, what are you doing here?"

CHAPTER VIII.

Everything seemed to be swimming round poor Bob. Skipper! only a "land
Skipper," who had "never been to sea," and he gazed speechless and
imploringly up from his knees