ds at a nice-looking pastry-cook's shop hard by the dockyard-
gates, whose wide green windows framed an appetising display of cakes
and buns which appealed strangely to his gastronomic feelings; while a
fragrant odour, as of hot mutton-pies, the speciality of the
establishment, a renowned one in its way amongst middies and such like
small fry who frequented the neighbourhood, oozed out from its
hospitably-open door, perfuming lusciously the air around--"I am _so_
hungry!"

"By Jove, my boy, so am I, too, now I think of it," said the Captain,
likewise coming to a halt and proceeding to enter the shop, followed by
his eager companions. "Let us pipe down to lunch at once. This is a
famous place for pies; and you may rely on having mutton in 'em and not
puppies!"

The old Captain `stood treat,' of course, and the boys had such a
glorious `tuck out' that they were behind time when they got back to
Mrs Gilmour's house on the south parade.

"Aunt Polly" and Nellie were both ready and waiting for them outside,
dressed in walking attire; while Rover was frisking round the ladies,
though he darted up to his young master the moment he caught sight of
him, forgetting, with all a good dog's magnanimity, the ill-treatment he
had received in not being allowed to accompany him to the dockyard.

"Sure, you're very late, Captain dear," began Mrs Gilmour when the old
sailor came near, with Dick following in his wake; but, suddenly
noticing the latter's wonderful transformation of appearance, she
stopped her laughing reproaches anent the Captain's dilatoriness,
exclaiming in admiring tones--"My good gracious! Dear me! Who is this
young gentleman?"

Bob was in ecstasies.

"We were sure you wouldn't know him, auntie!" he cried, as little Miss
Nellie joined him in a gleesome dance of triumph round the blushing,
new-fledged Dick, and Rover gambolled behind the pair, barking loudly,
in sympathetic accord. "We were sure you wouldn't know him!"

"Sure, you're right, me dears, I wouldn't really have recognised him for
the same boy at all, at all!" cheerfully agreed Mrs Gilmour, as she
turned towards the ex-runaway and scrutinising his altered guise in
detail, critically but kindly. "Are ye, really, Dick, now?"

"Yes, mum, I bees the same b'y, surely," replied Dick, with a broad grin
that spread over his face from ear to ear. "It's the Cap'en, God bless
him, mum, as made me for to look so foine that my own mother wouldn't
know me,