e mud. "What's got the old man, I
wonder?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," said the mate. "You chaps stand by me
and it'll be good for all of us. Mr. Pearson said distinct the last time
that if the skipper ever missed his ship again it would be his last
trip in her, and he told me afore the old man that I wasn't to wait two
minutes at any time, but to bring her out right away."

"He's an old fool," said Bill Loch, the other hand; "and nobody'll miss
him but the boy, and he's been looking reg'lar worried all the morning.
He looked so worried at dinner time that I give 'im a kick to cheer him
up a bit. Look at him now."

The mate gave a supercilious glance in the direction of the boy, and
then turned away. The boy, who had no idea of courting observation,
stowed himself away behind the windlass; and, taking a letter from his
pocket, perused it for the fourth time.

"Dear Tommy," it began. "I take my pen in and to inform you that I'm
stayin here and cant get away for the reason that I lorst my cloes at
cribage larst night, also my money, and everything beside. Don't speek to
a living sole about it as the mate wants my birth, but pack up sum cloes
and bring them to me without saying nuthing to noboddy. The mates cloths
will do becos I havent got enny other soot, dont tell 'im. You needen't
trouble about soks as I've got them left. My bed is so bad I must now
conclude. Your affecshunate uncle and captin Joe Bross. P.S. Dont let
the mate see you come, or else he wont let you go."

"Two hours more," sighed Tommy, as he put the letter back in his pocket.
"How can I get any clothes when they're all locked up? And aunt said I
was to look after 'im and see he didn't get into no mischief."

He sat thinking deeply, and then, as the crew of the Sarah Jane stepped
ashore to take advantage of a glass offered by the mate, he crept down
to the cabin again for another desperate look round. The only articles
of clothing visible belonged to Mrs. Bross, who up to this trip had
been sailing in the schooner to look after its master. At these he gazed
hard.

"I'll take 'em and try an' swop 'em for some men's clothes," said he
suddenly, snatching the garments from the pegs. "She wouldn't mind";
and hastily rolling them into a parcel, together with a pair of carpet
slippers of the captain's, he thrust the lot into an old biscuit bag.
Then he shouldered his burden, and, going cautiously on deck, gained the
shore, and set off at a trot t