d Wiggins announced--

"Capting Hardy, sir."

Tom jumped to his legs, and felt himself colour painfully.

"Here, Wiggins," said he, "wheel round that arm-chair for Captain
Hardy. I am so very glad to see you, sir," and he hastened round
himself to meet the old gentleman, holding out his hand, which
the visitor took very cordially, as soon as he had passed his
heavy stick to his left hand, and balanced himself safely upon
it.

"Thank you, sir; thank you," said the old man after a few
moments' pause, "I find your companion ladders rather steep;" and
then he sat down with some difficulty.

Tom took the Captain's stick and undress cap, and put them
reverentially on his sideboard; and then, to get rid of some
little nervousness which he couldn't help feeling, bustled to his
cupboard, and helped Wiggins to place glasses and biscuits on the
table. "Now, sir, what will you take? I have port, sherry and
whisky here, and can get you anything else. Wiggins, run to
Hinton's and get some dessert."

"No dessert, thank you, for me," said the Captain; "I'll take a
cup of coffee, or a glass of grog, or anything you have ready.
Don't open wine for me, pray, sir."

"Oh, it is all the better for being opened," said Tom, working
away at a bottle of sherry with his corkscrew, "and Wiggins, get
some coffee and anchovy toast in a quarter of an hour; and just
put out some tumblers and toddy ladles, and bring up boiling
water with the coffee."

While making his hospitable preparations, Tom managed to get many
side glances at the old man, who sat looking steadily and
abstractly before him into the fireplace, and was much struck and
touched by the picture. The sailor wore a well-preserved old
undress uniform coat and waistcoat, and white drill trousers; he
was a man of middle height, but gaunt and massive, and Tom
recognized the framework of the long arms and grand shoulders and
chest which he had so often admired in the son. His right leg was
quite stiff from an old wound on the knee cap; the left eye was
sightless, and the scar of a cutlass travelled down the drooping
lid and on to the weather-beaten cheek below. His head was high
and broad, his hair and whiskers silver white, while the shaggy
eyebrows were scarcely grizzled. His face was deeply lined, and
the long, clean-cut lower jaw, and drawn look about the mouth,
gave a grim expression to the face at the first glance, which
wore off as you looked, leaving, however, on most men