e a young gent should, him and me ain't going to be
messmates no more."

The Skipper's conscience was very busy again, but, he wouldn't show his
trouble, and, he tried to turn it off by saying rapidly--

"Won't do so any more--won't do so any more," three times.

"Don't sound to me as if you was sorry," growled the man. "I heered
what your father says to you, and he knows, and he's the finest
gentleman in all Her Majesty's Service. On'y wish I'd got such a
father."

"What nonsense, 'Jack'!" cried the Skipper; "why! you're too big, isn't
he, Dot?"

"Yes," said the girl, "he does seem to be very big to have a father."

"Well, I ain't a wery little un, am I, my pretty?" said the sailor,
chuckling. "But, you allus mind, and do what your father tells you,
Master Bob."

"Oh! do go on with the ship," cried the Skipper impatiently. "But, I
say, did you always do what your father told you, 'Jack'?"

"Nay, that I didn't, and wery sorry I am," said the big fellow, shaking
his head. "That's the wust on it; we gets to be sorry for things when
it's too late; and I'm wery much afeard, Master Bob, as this here
gun'll make the 'Flash' a bit crank."

"What's crank?" asked the boy.

"What you shore-going folks calls top-heavy; and that either means
cutting down her rigging----"

"No, I won't have the rigging touched," cried Bob.

"Well, it would be a mortal shame, seeing how she sails, but you
wouldn't like her to capsize."

"No; of course not."

"Then, I tell you what: you must put some little bags o' shot in her
hold, to act as ballast, and then she'll be all right."

Then, apparently satisfied with the boy's promise of amendment, "Jack
Robinson," otherwise Tom Jeffs, worked away at the model, till the gun
was fixed amidships, and the anchor swung to her bows, the cable having
been knotted on, and the neatly coiled rings placed inside a little
hatch in front.

All this being finished, as a man-of-war's man does such things, the
Skipper sprang down from the table. "Now, 'Jack,' come along!" he
cried; "let's see how she'll sail." But, just then tea-time was
announced, and in spite of a loud "_Oh!_" full of disappointment, the
big sailor had to go into the kitchen and have his tea, the children's
evening meal being ready too; and directly after, they were summoned to
say good-bye to the coxswain, who had to go back. The Captain and Mrs.
Trevor were in the hall when the former nodded shortly to his man, and
went into t