thought not of the
subordinate rank he held in the service, nor of the fine lady and
gentlemen passengers who might be making inquiries as to who he was.

After a short conversation on the quarter-deck, they retired to Ronald's
cabin, where a considerable time was spent in giving and listening to
accounts of each other's proceedings.

"And let me hear again this strange story you tell me of these old men,"
said Rolf. "I must talk to them, and listen to what, they have to say,
though I scarcely expect that any good will result to us from it."

Rolf Morton had never been of a sanguine temperament; he had become
still less so as he advanced in life. Ronald, on the contrary, was
accustomed to look on the bright side of objects. He believed that he
had obtained a clue which would lead to the discovery of a matter now he
felt of so much importance to his future happiness.

The two old men were sent for. They looked at Ronald, and then at his
father; but neither seemed willing to speak. Archie Eagleshay,
especially, put on a stupid expression of countenance, as if he had lost
all recollection of past events. After a time, however, Doull repeated
the account he had already given to Ronald, and the other old man nodded
his head to confirm the correctness of the statement.

"Would you swear to all this my friends, in a court of law in England?"
asked Ronald.

Even Doull hesitated. The idea of a court of law, in consequence of his
early transgressions, had terrors for him which he could not overcome.
As pale a hue as his sunburnt skin would allow came over old Archy's
face as he heard the words, and Ronald soon discovered that he had made
a mistake by putting the question.

"Well, my friends, we will not ask you to do what you do not like," he
remarked. "But do not you think that if it was to serve my father and
me, and that we would take care that you suffered no injury, you could
swear to the truth of the story you have told us? It is my belief that
you see before you the very man you assisted to carry off when a child
from his family and his country. He bears you no ill-will in
consequence. Surely you would wish to do your best to repair the injury
you have done him?"

"I would do anything to serve you, Captain Morton, that I would, sir, or
swear anything you please: and for that matter, so would Archy."

"No, no, my friends," exclaimed Ronald, somewhat inclined to laugh; "I
only wish you to swear the trut