ther's arms.

"Where do you come from?" asked his father, somewhat sternly. "You have
given us all a great fright about you since we found that letter which
you left in your room; and the rumours we heard did little to allay it."

Dick expressed his contrition, declaring that he had acted for the best,
and then gave, as briefly as he could, an account of himself up to the
present time.

"No man must do evil that good may come of it, and in this case I don't
see that any good has come of it," said his father. "You leagued
yourself with smugglers and got pressed in consequence, and now you have
run from your ship, perhaps to be seized and carried back as a
deserter."

"But I must take care not to be seized, and am ready to stop and work
with you, father. I deserted because I was forced to serve against my
will, though I found the life on board not so bad as I expected, and if
it hadn't been for the bullying I got from Lord Reginald and that other
midshipman, I would have remained where I was."

Mrs Hargrave and Janet now took Dick's part, and his father was
ultimately pacified, though, as he said, it went against the grain to
have a son of his called a deserter, however ill he might have been
treated. Dick found that the account Susan had given him about Janet
was correct; that she was shortly to accompany Lady Elverston to London,
to be put under a celebrated oculist, and to undergo the operation of
couching.

"Bless her ladyship's heart for her kindness!" said Mrs Hargrave.

"We have not many days to remain here, and I must have you stay
in-doors, lest you should be seen by any who have an ill will against
you, Dick," observed his father.

"I don't think they would know me any more than Susan Rudall did when I
paid her a visit," answered Dick. "I'd rather not be boxed up in the
house, if I can help it. I should soon fall sick after being accustomed
to the sea air so long."

"Better remain in-doors at home than be locked up in a prison," observed
his father. "It is a sad thing for me to have to say it, but remember,
Dick, you have made yourself liable to that, and it will be wiser for
you to remain in hiding until we go to our new farm and people have
forgotten all about you."

Dick did not longer argue the point, but he made no promises. His
mother, observing how weary he was, and that he could scarcely keep his
eyes open, suggested that he should go to bed, and gladly acting on the
advice he stagge