g him," thought Cheyne. "Now Constance would
never have allowed that. Don't see as Europe could have done it any
better."

"But why didn't you tell this man, Troop, who you were?" the mother
repeated, when Harvey had expanded his story at least twice.

"Disko Troop, dear. The best man that ever walked a deck. I don't care
who the next is."

"Why didn't you tell him to put you ashore? You know Papa would have
made it up to him ten times over."

"I know it; but he thought I was crazy. I'm afraid I called him a thief
because I couldn't find the bills in my pocket."

"A sailor found them by the flagstaff that--that night," sobbed Mrs.
Cheyne.

"That explains it, then. I don't blame Troop any. I just said I
wouldn't work--on a Banker, too--and of course he hit me on the nose,
and oh! I bled like a stuck hog."

"My poor darling! They must have abused you horribly."

"Dunno quite. Well, after that, I saw a light."

Cheyne slapped his leg and chuckled. This was going to be a boy after
his own hungry heart. He had never seen precisely that twinkle in
Harvey's eye before.

"And the old man gave me ten and a half a month; he's paid me half now;
and I took hold with Dan and pitched right in. I can't do a man's work
yet. But I can handle a dory 'most as well as Dan, and I don't get
rattled in a fog--much; and I can take my trick in light winds--that's
steering, dear--and I can 'most bait up a trawl, and I know my ropes,
of course; and I can pitch fish till the cows come home, and I'm great
on old Josephus, and I'll show you how I can clear coffee with a piece
of fish-skin, and--I think I'll have another cup, please. Say, you've
no notion what a heap of work there is in ten and a half a month!"

"I began with eight and a half, my son," said Cheyne.

"That so? You never told me, sir."

"You never asked, Harve. I'll tell you about it some day, if you care
to listen. Try a stuffed olive."

"Troop says the most interesting thing in the world is to find out how
the next man gets his vittles. It's great to have a trimmed-up meal
again. We were well fed, though. But mug on the Banks. Disko fed us
first-class. He's a great man. And Dan--that's his son--Dan's my
partner. And there's Uncle Salters and his manures, an' he reads
Josephus. He's sure I'm crazy yet. And there's poor little Penn, and he
is crazy. You mustn't talk to him about Johnstown, because--

"And, oh, you must know Tom Platt and Long Jack and Manuel. Manuel