is ears to stop
the sound.

"If I listen I shan't be able to go," he said with a sigh; and he was
just about to break into a trot to run down and join Pan, when there was
a footstep on the gravel, and the boy stopped short in the shadow cast
by a tree.

"Father!" he said to himself. "Can he have found out so soon?"

The step on the gravel came nearer, and Syd knew that it must have
passed right under the tree where Pan was hiding.

"Could father have gone down there so quickly?" thought the boy.

Then all doubt was at an end, for he whose steps were heard stopped
close at hand, muttering aloud--

"Swears he ketched sight on him in the road to-night, so he must have
come home. If I on'y do get howd on him by the scruff of his precious
neck, I'll teach him to run away."

A cold chill ran through Sydney, and he shivered. Suppose his father
knew that he was going to do this mean, contemptible thing--run away and
degrade himself--what would he say? and how would he act? Like Barnaby
spoke, his old boatswain and gardener?

Syd shivered again. He was not afraid of the pain, but he shrank from
the idea of the degradation. He fancied himself held by the collar and
a stick raised to punish him. It was horrible.

"If I don't loosen his hide my name arn't what it is," growled the old
boatswain; and he moved on, going close by Sydney, who stood listening
with heavily beating heart till Barney had gone right up to the back of
the house.

Then only did Sydney run on till he was beneath the tree, and called
Pan.

"You there?"

"Yes, Master Syd."

"Did you hear who that was down the garden?"

"Father."

"Did you hear what he said?"

There was a low laugh up in the tree.

"Yes, I heared; but he has got to ketch me first. Ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready, Pan."

"Get up here then."

"Why?"

"You can get out along one of these big branches, and drop out into the
road."

"No, no, come down, and let's go by the gate."

"And come upon my father waiting with a rope's-end? Why, when he's wild
he lets out anyhow, and in the dark you'd get it as much as me. This
way."

Syd listened, and heard the boy creep actively along the bough and drop
down on the other side of the fence.

"Catch," he whispered. "Ready?"

"Yes."

He threw over his bundle, and then swung himself up into the tree, got
astride the big bough, and was working himself along, when a sound close
at hand made him stop short to listen.

It w