was evident that the old admiral was kindly disposed. But
his spirits went down again. Uncle Tom was only a visitor, and his
father was horribly stern and harsh. His voice had thrilled the boy,
who again and again had wondered what was to be his fate.

"I'll tell uncle how sorry I am, and ask him to side with me," thought
Sydney; and he had just made up his mind to speak to him if he came
again, and surely he would after coming to ask him about the food, when
the door-handle rattled slightly, and the boy involuntarily turned to
meet his uncle just as the door was pressed open a little, and he found
himself face to face with his father, who remained perfectly silent for
a few moments as Syd shrank away.

"Hungry, my lad?" he said at last.

"Yes, father--very."

"Hah!"

The door closed, and the prisoner was left once more to his own
thoughts.

CHAPTER TEN.

"I can't bully him to-night--a young dog!" said the captain. "He must
be half-starved. I wonder whether Broughton has gone to bed."

He went down slowly to the library without a light, meaning to summon
the butler and make him prepare a tray.

But meanwhile Admiral Belton had provided himself with a chamber
candlestick and stolen softly down-stairs, through the baize door at one
side of the hall, and along the passage that led to the kitchen.

"Can't leave the poor lad to starve," he muttered; "and I dare say I
shall find out the larder by the smell."

He chuckled to himself as he softly unfastened a door.

"Nice game this for one of his Majesty's old officers of the fleet," he
said. "Wonder what they'd say at the club if they saw me?"

The door passed, he had no difficulty in finding the kitchen, for there
was a pleasant chirping of crickets to greet his ear; a kitcheny smell
that was oniony and unmistakable, and a few paces farther on his feet
were on stones that were sanded, and all at once there was a loud pop
where he put down his foot.

He lowered the light and saw that black beetles were scouring away in
all directions.

"Cockroaches, by George!" he muttered. "Now where can the larder be?"

There were three doors about, and he went to the first.

"Hah!" he ejaculated, with a sniff. "Here we are; no doubt about it."

He slipped a bolt, lifted a latch, stepped in and stepped out again
quickly, then closed the door.

"Scullery!" he snarled. "Bah! what an idiot I do seem, prowling about
here."

He crossed the kitchen, slaying