ng to struggle
through the clouded face.

"There, I won't do so any more," he whispered lovingly, "and----"

"Ship ahoy!" came in a hearty shout, and with the steam just beginning
to appear fairly from out of the funnel, the trouble was forgotten.

"Here's Pa come!" cried the boy, and he set off to run.

"Oh, Bob! please," came after him plaintively, and the Skipper turned
and hurried back, to catch his sister's hand.

"Now then, fast as you can!" he panted. "I'll help you. Run!"

CHAPTER II.

Before the two children had run far along the side of the lake, two
figures appeared, coming along a path. The first, that of a
handsome-looking officer in undress uniform; the other, that of a
grim-looking sailor, carrying a basket in one hand and a couple of
large brown-paper packages, tied together, in the other. But, he did
not look quite grim, for somewhere about the middle of a great
cocoanut-coloured beard his big white teeth could be seen, showing that
he was smiling: and higher up still, just above the top of the beard,
which was divided by a brown nose, two squeezed-up eyes were twinkling
in the sunshine.

"Skipper, ahoy!" cried the officer, as the boy loosed his hold of his
sister's hand, made a running jump, and was caught, hugged, and set
down again. "Ah! my precious little woman," came next, and Dot was
lifted from the ground, and her arms went round the Captain's neck, as
she nestled to him and kissed him again and again.

"Why, hullo! little woman," he cried. "Wet face--tears--crying--had a
tumble?"

"Oh, no, Papa dear; it was--it was only--"

She stopped short, and coloured.

"Only what, my darling?"

"It was I," said the Skipper, flushing, but speaking out very bravely.
"I frightened her--pretended I was going to tumble into the water."

"But he didn't think it would frighten me, Pa dear," cried Dot
earnestly, "or he wouldn't have done it. Would you, Bob?"

"Yes," said the boy stolidly. "Did it on purpose to frighten you."

"How dare you!" cried Captain Trevor sternly. "This is pretty
discipline. Have I not always told you that a big boy ought to be kind
to his sister?"

"Yes, Pa."

"And because he's strong and ugly, because he's going some day to be a
man, he ought to watch over and protect her."

"Yes, Pa," said the boy, his lip quivering, as he stared past his
father at the big sailor, who was scowling and shaking his head at him
fiercely.

"And now I come home for a few hour