to the tub upon which his fellow-prisoner
was seated, for all the movement made.

"Michael Ladelle, Esquire, of the Mount," said Vince; and there was a
good-humoured look in his eyes, which twinkled merrily; but the other
did not stir.

"Ladle, then," cried Vince; but without effect,--Mike was still gazing
at the sand before him.

"I say, don't be such a sulky old Punch. Why don't you speak? I want
to talk to you about getting away. Mike--Ladle--I say, you did hurt
when you hit out at me. I shall have to pay you that back!"

No answer.

"Look here: aren't you going to say you're sorry for it and shake
hands?"

Vince waited for a while and then burst out impatiently,--

"Look here, if you don't speak I'll kick the tub over and let you down."

All in vain: Mike did not move, and Vince began to grow impatient.

"Here, I say," he cried, "I know I'm a bit of a beast sometimes, but you
can't say I'm sulky. I did nothing; and if it was I, you know I'd have
owned I was in the wrong and held out my fist--open; not like you did,
to knock a fellow down."

Another pause, and Vince exclaimed,--

"Well, I _am_--"

He did not say what, but stood with extended arm.

"I say, Mikey," he said softly, "I know you haven't got any eyes in the
back of your head, so I may as well tell you. I'm holding out my hand
for a shake, and my arm's beginning to ache."

"Don't--don't!" said Mike now, in a low voice, full of the misery the
lad felt. "I feel as if you were jumping on me for what I did."

"Do you? Well, I'm not going to jump on you. Come, I have got you to
speak at last, and there's an end of it. I say, Ladle, it's too stupid
for us two to be out now, when we want to talk about how we're stuck
here."

"I feel as if I can't speak to you," said Mike huskily.

"More stupid you. Didn't I tell you it's all over now? You were in a
passion, and so was I. Now you're not in a passion, no more am I; so
that's all over. You heard what the pirate captain said about us?"

"Yes," said Mike dolefully.

"Well, he and old Joe--Here, Ladle: I'm going to kick old Joe. I don't
care about his being old and grey. A wicked old sneak!--I'll kick him,
first chance I get, for leaving us in the lurch; but that isn't what I
was going to say. Here, why don't you turn round and sit up? Don't let
those beggars think we're afraid of them. I won't be,--see if I am."

Mike slowly changed his position, turning round and sitting up