of the
question, without betraying a particle of ill-temper or dissatisfaction.
"I will stop with auntie."

"Ah, you shan't lose anything by doing it, me darlint," smilingly said
Mrs Gilmour, giving her an approving little pat on the cheek by way of
caress. "You and I, Nell, may have a little expedition of our own,
perhaps."

"But I may go with you and Dick," interposed Bob, by no means content to
be left behind. "Mayn't I, Captain?"

"Oh yes, you may go or come, just as you please to call it," replied the
Captain, making a move towards the door, with an energetic thump of his
malacca cane on the floor. "Look sharp, though, or it will be midday
before we're out of the house!"

This contingency, however, did not happen, for within a minute or so he
and the two boys were out on the parade; the party being further
increased by the presence of Rover, who had been lurking in the passage
and followed them out unobserved. Not a bark or a gambol betrayed that
he was after them, until the Captain on turning round suddenly saw him
in their rear, close up to Bob's heels.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed; "I can't have that dog with us. Rover is a very
fine fellow and a brave animal too; but, he's somewhat skittish as
yesterday's proceedings at the railway-station showed me. I don't want
to get into any more scrapes with him, such as knocking down harmless
old women--she was a tartar, though, by Jove! Besides, I may have to go
into the dockyard, and they do not allow dogs in there."

"Don't they?" asked Bob, catching hold of Rover's collar and preparing
to take him back to the house. "Not even if they're well-behaved?"

"No, my boy, they draw the line at puppies! I mean those jackanapes of
midshipmen and sub-lieutenants, as they call mates now, with their
dandified airs. In my time, the reefers weren't half so conceited and
didn't try to turn themselves into land swabs as they do now-a-days,"
said the Captain grimly, he being, like most sailors of the old school,
a thorough believer in the times gone by. "But, go back now, and take
that rascal of a dog in. Dick and I will wait for you at the corner."

Rover did not like this arrangement at all, but he had to submit to the
force of circumstances; so, Bob disposing of him within doors and
closing the outside gate as well for additional precaution, all
presently made a fresh start for their destination.

While crossing Southsea Common, the boys were delighted with the sigh