hought I would get in here, not seeing nobody but young ma-
aster and little missis in the corner--"

"You didn't see me, eh?" questioned the Captain, with one of his
quizzical chuckles. "You didn't see me, I'll wager."

"No, sir, or I wouldn't have tried it on," confessed Dick, with the most
open candour. "I would a-been afeard like."

"Lucky for you that you did, though," said Captain Dresser, his little
black beady eyes blinking away furiously. "If you had got in anywhere
and not come across such a good-natured old donkey as myself, you would
have had the signal-bell rung to summon the guard, who would have
stopped the train and given you in custody at the next station for
travelling without a ticket! But what are you going to do now, eh?"

"Please, sir, I dunno," replied Dick, looking puzzled.

"Humph, that's a pretty state of things for an independent young
gentleman running away to sea!" said the Captain in a quizzing tone.
"Do you know you're not half out of the scrape yet? You have got into
the train all right; but, how are you going to get out of it, eh--tell
me that, my lad?"

"I dunno, sir," again answered Dick laconically, still seeming unmoved
by the critical nature of his position--"I dunno, sir."

"Drat the boy!" exclaimed the Captain impatiently, stamping his foot.
"There you are again with your `dunno!' Why, when we arrive at
Portsmouth, the collector will be asking for your ticket; what will you
say then, eh?"

"I thought, sir, of jumping out afore the train got there, sir," said
Dick, scratching his head reflectively. "Aye, I did."

"Broke your neck, probably!" growled the old Captain. "The best thing
that could have happened to you, my lad."

Bob and Nellie meanwhile had been whispering together and comparing
notes apparently as to the state of their respective funds; for, Nellie
had extracted a little leather purse from some hidden receptacle in her
dress, while Bob was feeling in his pockets. Before either could speak,
however, Captain Dresser anticipated their evident intention.

"Suppose now I paid your fare for you?" he went on, addressing Dick.
"What would you say to that, eh?"

"Lor', sir, I'd be orful grateful, that I'd be, sir--I would indeed,
sir," eagerly replied the lad in an outburst of thankfulness; "and if,
sir, I could work it out in any way so as to repay the money, I'd be
that glad yer wouldn't know me."

"Humph!" grunted the Captain again. "We'll see about