, and an ugly-
looking man, very like a gipsy and evidently a tramp, were the parties
interested.

The man had one end of the bundle of towels grasped in both his hands,
while Rover was holding on like grim death to the other; the dog
growling, and tugging away so violently between each growl, that the
tramp had hard work to keep hold of his prize.

Bob, on his part, had caught up a piece of broken timber, and was
advancing to the faithful dog's aid.

But a boy like Bob, even with the help of such a valiant protector as
the retriever, could do little or nothing against a burly, ruffianly
giant, six feet high, and broad in proportion.

The arrival of the Captain on the scene with Dick, however, altered the
aspect of affairs considerably.

The gipsy tramp, who had sworn to Bob, and at him too, that the bundle
was his own, and that he was walking quietly along the shore in search
of work, when he was assailed by "that savage dog o' yourn there," now
said, on the Captain's telling him curtly to drop the towels, or he
would have him locked up, that he had "only picked 'em up on the beach,
and didn't mean no harm by it to nobody, that he didn't."

"Then the sooner you are off out of this, the better for you, my
friend," said the Captain, on the man's letting go the bundle of towels,
which Rover at once carried off in triumph and laid at Bob's feet. "Be
off with you, you rascal, at once!" The man took his advice, and
slouched away round the castle, soon disappearing from their sight;
when, much excited by the unexpected little incident that they now would
have to detail to Mrs Gilmour and Nellie, besides being full of Rover's
bravery and sagacity, they took their way home again, for the second
time, across the common, the clock of old Saint Thomas's church in the
distance striking as they turned their faces homeward--"One--two--
three--four--five--six--seven--eight--*Nine*!"

"Look sharp, lads, or we'll be late for the steamer!" cried the old
sailor, as they hurried along, setting the example by hastening onwards
as fast as his little legs, aided by his ever-present malacca cane,
could carry him. "I'm told that the _Bembridge Belle_ will leave the
pier at ten o'clock without fail, wind and weather permitting, and it
has just struck nine--all through your loitering and skylarking in the
water, Master Bob and you Dick, and that long palaver we had afterwards
with your friend the towel-thief."

On reaching the house,