oked like a prop, which extended from just beneath his
head nearly to the ground, as if to enable him to stand, tripod-fashion,
steadily on a windy day. But it was nothing of the sort, being only his
pigtail carefully bound with ribbon, and the thickest and longest
pigtail in the "Ryal Navee."

Tom Bodger, or--as he was generally known by the Rockabie boys--Dumpus,
trotted down the slope in a wonderful way, for how he managed to keep
his balance over the rough cobbles and on the storm-worn granite stones
of the pier was a marvel of equilibrium. But keep upright he did,
solely by being always in motion; and he was not long in elbowing his
way through the crowd of boys, many of whom overtopped him, and planting
himself at the top of the pier steps, where from old experience he knew
that Aleck would land.

As soon as he was there he delivered himself of an observation.

"Look here," he growled, in a deep, angry voice, "I've been marking o'
you youngsters with my hye, and I gives you doo warning, the fust one on
yer as shies any o' that orfull at young Master Donne, or inter his
little boat, I marks with what isn't my hye, but this here bit of
well-tarred rope's-end as I've got hitched inside my jacket; so look
out."

"Yah!" came in a derisive chorus, as the sailor showed the truthfulness
of his assertion by drawing out about eighteen inches of stoutish brown
rope, drawing it through his left hand and putting it back.

"Yah!" shouted one of the most daring. "Yer can't ketch us. Yah!"

"Not ketch ye, you young swab? Not in a starn chase, p'raps, but I've
got a good mem'ry and I can heave-to till yer comes within reach, and
then--well, I'm sorry for you, my lad. I know yer;--Davvy, Davvy."

The boy looked uncomfortable, and furtively dropped an unpleasant
smelling quid which he had picked up as a weapon of offence, and very
offensive it was; but another lad appropriated it instantly and sniffed
at it, smiling widely afterwards as if approving hugely of the vile
odour. Probably familiarity had begotten contempt, for none of his
companions moved away.

Meanwhile Aleck had run his boat close in and lowered his sail. Then,
as he rose up, boat-hook in hand, he was greeted with a jeering chorus
of shouts, for no other reason than that he was a so-called stranger who
did not live there and was well dressed, and belonged to a better class.

Aleck was accustomed to the reception, and gave the little crowd a
contemptu