rry."

"Yes, but I wish he was coming back. Not a pleasant messmate to have
ashore with me. I'm sure you wouldn't like to be along with him."

"Perhaps not; but I did want to come, for I know so much about the
rock.--Oh! I did want to go."

"Better stop on board, lad. I dare say we shall have a good deal of
trouble with the men, though they do like Mr Dallas."

"Oh, but I shouldn't mind that," said Syd, thoughtfully. "I say."

"Well."

"Couldn't you manage to smuggle me off in your boat?"

"I could; but look here, you are the captain's son. Go and ask leave to
go, even if you have to come back in the boats."

"Oh, yes; I'm the captain's son," said Sydney, bitterly; "and that's the
very reason why I should not be allowed."

"What, for fear you should be eaten up by the shark this time?"

"Joke away; you're all right," said Syd, sulkily.

"Don't take it like that, Belton, old fellow," said Roylance, laying his
hand upon his arm. "I'd a hundred times rather have you than Terry. I
say, look! here's the first luff. I know he likes us fellows to be
eager to learn our profession. Go and ask him to let you go."

"Shall I?" said Syd, hesitatingly.

"Yes; go along. He seems always harsh and rough with everybody, but he
isn't a bad one when you come to know him."

"But he's busy now."

"Never mind; go on."

It seemed a very simple thing to do to go up to the officer, touch your
hat, and ask leave to go with the boats, but there was that peculiar
something so hard to get over which keeps lads back from proffering a
petition, and saves their elders and those in authority very often the
pain of having to refuse.

Syd suffered severely on that occasion from this peculiar form of
timidity, till he saw one boat manned and pull off with its load.

In another quarter of an hour the other would be ready, he knew, and
then his chance would be gone.

The first lieutenant passed along the deck, and Syd thought he looked
very severe. He came back, and he looked worse. It was impossible to
ask him, and Syd shrank away and went to where Roylance was busy
speaking to the coxswain of his boat.

"I say," whispered Syd, taking him by the sleeve.

"Yes."

"Ask the luff to let me go with you, there's a good fellow."

Roylance gave him a merry look.

"Well, you are a queer one, Belt," he said. "Not afraid to stand up
before Mike Terry, and yet daren't go and ask the luff to let you go
ashore."

"I'm not ex