AT SUNWICH PORT BY W. W. JACOBS Part 1. ILLUSTRATIONS From Drawings by Will Owen CHAPTER I The ancient port of Sunwich was basking in the sunshine of a Julyafternoon. A rattle of cranes and winches sounded from the shipping inthe harbour, but the town itself was half asleep. Somnolent shopkeepersin dim back parlours coyly veiled their faces in red handkerchiefs fromthe too ardent flies, while small boys left in charge noticed listlesslythe slow passing of time as recorded by the church clock. It is a fine church, and Sunwich is proud of it. The tall grey tower isa landmark at sea, but from the narrow streets of the little town itselfit has a disquieting appearance of rising suddenly above the roofshuddled beneath it for the purpose of displaying a black-faced clock withgilt numerals whose mellow chimes have recorded the passing hours formany generations of Sunwich men. Regardless of the heat, which indeed was mild compared with that whichraged in his own bosom, Captain Nugent, fresh from the inquiry of thecollision of his ship _Conqueror_ with the German barque _Hans Muller_, strode rapidly up the High Street in the direction of home. An honestseafaring smell, compounded of tar, rope, and fish, known to the educatedof Sunwich as ozone, set his thoughts upon the sea. He longed to beaboard ship again, with the Court of Inquiry to form part of his crew. In all his fifty years of life he had never met such a collection offools. His hard blue eyes blazed as he thought of them, and the mouthhidden by his well-kept beard was set with anger. Mr. Samson Wilks, his steward, who had been with him to London to giveevidence, had had a time upon which he looked back in later years withmuch satisfaction at his powers of endurance. He was with the captain, and yet not with him. When they got out of the train at Sunwich hehesitated as to whether he should follow the captain or leave him. Hisexcuse for following was the bag, his reason for leaving the volcaniccondition of its owner's temper, coupled with the fact that he appearedto be sublimely ignorant that the most devoted steward in the world wastagging faithfully along a yard or two in the rear. The few passers-by glanced at the couple with interest. Mr. Wilks hadwhat is called an expressive face, and he had worked his sandy eyebrows, his weak blue eyes, and large, tremulous mouth into such an expression ofsurprise at the finding of the Court, that he had all the appearance of abeholder of visions. He changed the bag to his other hand as they leftthe town behind them, and regarded with gratitude the approaching end ofhis labours. At the garden-gate of a fair-sized house some half-mile along the roadthe captain stopped, and after an impatient fumbling at the latch strodeup the path, followed by Mr. Wilks, and knocked at the door. As hepaused on the step he half turned, and for the first time noticed thefacial expression of his faithful follower. "What the dickens are you looking like that for?" he demanded. "I've been surprised, sir, " conceded Mr. Wilks; "surprised andastonished. " Wrath blazed again in the captain's eyes and set lines in his forehead. He was being pitied by a steward! "You've been drinking, " he said, crisply; "put that bag down. " "Arsking your pardon, sir, " said the steward, twisting his unusually drylips into a smile, "but I've 'ad no opportunity, sir--I've been follerin'you all day, sir. " A servant opened the door. "You've been soaking in it for a month, "declared the captain as he entered the hall. "Why the blazes don't youbring that bag in? Are you so drunk you don't know what you are doing?" Mr. Wilks picked the bag up and followed humbly into the house. Then helost his head altogether, and gave some colour to his superior officer'scharges by first cannoning into the servant and then wedging the captainfirmly in the doorway of the sitting-room with the bag. "Steward!" rasped the captain. "Yessir, " said the unhappy Mr. Wilks. "Go and sit down in the kitchen, and don't leave this house till you'resober. " Mr. Wilks disappeared. He was not in his first lustre, but he was anardent admirer of the sex, and in an absent-minded way he passed his armround the handmaiden's waist, and sustained a buffet which made his headring. "A man o' your age, and drunk, too, " explained the damsel. Mr. Wilks denied both charges. It appeared that he was much younger thanhe looked, while, as for drink, he had forgotten the taste of it. Aquestion as to the reception Ann would have accorded a boyish teetotalerremained unanswered. In the sitting-room Mrs. Kingdom, the captain's widowed sister, put downher crochet-work as her brother entered, and turned to him expectantly. There was an expression of loving sympathy on her mild and rather foolishface, and the captain stiffened at once. "I was in the wrong, " he said, harshly, as he dropped into a chair; "mycertificate has been suspended for six months, and my first officer hasbeen commended. " "Suspended?" gasped Mrs. Kingdom, pushing back the white streamer to thecap which she wore in memory of the late Mr. Kingdom, and sittingupright. You?" "I think that's what I said, " replied her brother. Mrs. Kingdom gazed at him mournfully, and, putting her hand behind her, began a wriggling search in her pocket for a handkerchief, with the ideaof paying a wholesome tribute of tears. She was a past-master in the artof grief, and, pending its extraction, a docile tear hung on her eyelidand waited. The captain eyed her preparations with silent anger. "I am not surprised, " said Mrs. Kingdom, dabbing her eyes; "I expected itsomehow. I seemed to have a warning of it. Something seemed to tell me;I couldn't explain, but I seemed to know. " She sniffed gently, and, wiping one eye at a time, kept the disengagedone charged with sisterly solicitude upon her brother. The captain, withsteadily rising anger, endured this game of one-eyed bo-peep for fiveminutes; then he rose and, muttering strange things in his beard, stalkedupstairs to his room. Mrs. Kingdom, thus forsaken, dried her eyes and resumed her work. Theremainder of the family were in the kitchen ministering to the wants of amisunderstood steward, and, in return, extracting information whichshould render them independent of the captain's version. "Was it very solemn, Sam?" inquired Miss Nugent, aged nine, who wassitting on the kitchen table. Mr. Wilks used his hands and eyebrows to indicate the solemnity of theoccasion. "They even made the cap'n leave off speaking, " he said, in an awed voice. "I should have liked to have been there, " said Master Nugent, dutifully. "Ann, " said Miss Nugent, "go and draw Sam a jug of beer. " "Beer, Miss?" said Ann. "A jug of beer, " repeated Miss Nugent, peremptorily. Ann took a jug from the dresser, and Mr. Wilks, who was watching her, coughed helplessly. His perturbation attracted the attention of hishostess, and, looking round for the cause, she was just in time to seeAnn disappearing into the larder with a cream jug. [Illustration: "His perturbation attracted the attention of hishostess. "] "The big jug, Ann, " she said, impatiently; "you ought to know Sam wouldlike a big one. " Ann changed the jugs, and, ignoring a mild triumph in Mr. Wilks's eye, returned to the larder, whence ensued a musical trickling. Then MissNugent, raising the jug with some difficulty, poured out a tumbler forthe steward with her own fair hands. "Sam likes beer, " she said, speaking generally. "I knew that the first time I see him, Miss, " re-marked the vindictiveAnn. Mr. Wilks drained his glass and set it down on the table again, making afeeble gesture of repulse as Miss Nugent refilled it. "Go on, Sam, " she said, with kindly encouragement; "how much does thisjug hold, Jack?" "Quart, " replied her brother. "How many quarts are there in a gallon?" "Four. " Miss Nugent looked troubled. "I heard father say he drinks gallons aday, " she remarked; "you'd better fill all the jugs, Ann. " "It was only 'is way o' speaking, " said Mr. Wilks, hurriedly; "the cap'nis like that sometimes. " "I knew a man once, Miss, " said Ann, "as used to prefer to 'ave it in awash-hand basin. Odd, ugly-looking man 'e was; like Mr. Wilks in theface, only better-looking. " Mr. Wilks sat upright and, in the mental struggle involved in taking inthis insult in all its ramifications, did not notice until too late thatMiss Nugent had filled his glass again. "It must ha' been nice for the captain to 'ave you with 'im to-day, "remarked Ann, carelessly. "It was, " said Mr. Wilks, pausing with the glass at his lips and eyeingher sternly. "Eighteen years I've bin with 'im--ever since 'e 'ad aship. 'E took a fancy to me the fust time 'e set eyes on me. " "Were you better-looking then, Sam?" inquired Miss Nugent, shufflingcloser to him on the table and regarding him affectionately. "Much as I am now, Miss, " replied Mr. Wilks, setting down his glass andregarding Ann's giggles with a cold eye. Miss Nugent sighed. "I love you, Sam, " she said, simply. "Will you havesome more beer?" Mr. Wilks declined gracefully. "Eighteen years I've bin with the cap'n, "he remarked, softly; "through calms and storms, fair weather and foul, Samson Wilks 'as been by 'is side, always ready in a quiet and 'umble wayto do 'is best for 'im, and now--now that 'e is on his beam-ends and lost'is ship, Samson Wilks'll sit down and starve ashore till he getsanother. " At these touching words Miss Nugent was undisguisedly affected, andwiping her bright eyes with her pinafore, gave her small, well-shapednose a slight touch _en passant_ with the same useful garment, andsqueezed his arm affectionately. "It's a lively look-out for me if father is going to be at home forlong, " remarked Master Nugent. Who'll get his ship, Sam?" "Shouldn't wonder if the fust officer, Mr. Hardy, got it, " replied thesteward. "He was going dead-slow in the fog afore he sent down to rouseyour father, and as soon as your father came on deck 'e went at'arfspeed. Mr. Hardy was commended, and your father's certifikit wassuspended for six months. " Master Nugent whistled thoughtfully, and quitting the kitchen proceededupstairs to his room, and first washing himself with unusual care for aboy of thirteen, put on a clean collar and brushed his hair. He was notgoing to provide a suspended master-mariner with any obvious reasons forfault-finding. While he was thus occupied the sitting-room bell rang, and Ann, answering it, left Mr. Wilks in the kitchen listening with sometrepidation to the conversation. "Is that steward of mine still in the kitchen?" demanded the captain, gruffly. "Yessir, " said Ann. "What's he doing?" Mr. Wilks's ears quivered anxiously, and he eyed with unwonted disfavourthe evidences of his late debauch. "Sitting down, sir, " replied Ann. "Give him a glass of ale and send him off, " commanded the captain; "andif that was Miss Kate I heard talking, send her in to me. " Ann took the message back to the kitchen and, with the air of a martyrengaged upon an unpleasant task, drew Mr. Wilks another glass of ale andstood over him with well-affected wonder while he drank it. Miss Nugentwalked into the sitting-room, and listening in a perfunctory fashion to ashipmaster's platitude on kitchen-company, took a seat on his knee andkissed his ear. CHAPTER II The downfall of Captain Nugent was for some time a welcome subject ofconversation in marine circles at Sunwich. At The Goblets, a ramblingold inn with paved courtyard and wooden galleries, which almost backed onto the churchyard, brother-captains attributed it to an error ofjudgment; at the Two Schooners on the quay the profanest of sailormenreadily attributed it to an all-seeing Providence with a dislike ofover-bearing ship-masters. [Illustration: "A welcome subject of conversation in marine circles. "] The captain's cup was filled to the brim by the promotion of his firstofficer to the command of the _Conqueror_. It was by far the largestcraft which sailed from the port of Sunwich, and its master held acorresponding dignity amongst the captains of lesser vessels. Theirallegiance was now transferred to Captain Hardy, and the master of a brigwhich was in the last stages of senile decay, meeting Nugent in TheGoblets, actually showed him by means of two lucifer matches how thecollision might have been avoided. A touching feature in the business, and a source of much gratification toMr. Wilks by the sentimental applause evoked by it, was his renunciationof the post of steward on the ss. _Conqueror_. Sunwich buzzed with thetidings that after eighteen years' service with Captain Nugent hepreferred starvation ashore to serving under another master. Althoughcomfortable in pocket and known to be living with his mother, who kept asmall general shop, he was regarded as a man on the brink of starvation. Pints were thrust upon him, and the tale of his nobility increased withmuch narration. It was considered that the whole race of stewards hadacquired fresh lustre from his action. His only unfavourable critic was the erring captain himself. He senta peremptory summons to Mr. Wilks to attend at Equator Lodge, and themoment he set eyes upon that piece of probity embarked upon such avilification of his personal defects and character as Mr. Wilks had nevereven dreamt of. He wound up by ordering him to rejoin the shipforthwith. "Arsking your pardon, sir, " said Mr. Wilks, with tender reproach, "but Icouldn't. " "Are you going to live on your mother, you hulking rascal?" quoth theincensed captain. "No, sir, " said Mr. Wilks. "I've got a little money, sir; enough for myfew wants till we sail again. " "When I sail again you won't come with me, " said the captain, grimly. "I suppose you want an excuse for a soak ashore for six months!" Mr. Wilks twiddled his cap in his hands and smiled weakly. "I thought p'r'aps as you'd like me to come round and wait at table, andhelp with the knives and boots and such-like, " he said, softly. "Ann isagreeable. " "Get out of the house, " said the captain in quiet, measured tones. Mr. Wilks went, but on his way to the gate he picked up three pieces ofpaper which had blown into the garden, weeded two pieces of grass fromthe path, and carefully removed a dead branch from a laurel facing thewindow. He would have done more but for an imperative knocking on theglass, and he left the premises sadly, putting his collection of rubbishover the next garden fence as he passed it. But the next day the captain's boots bore such a polish that he was ableto view his own startled face in them, and at dinner-time the brightnessof the knives was so conspicuous that Mrs. Kingdom called Ann in for thepurpose of asking her why she didn't always do them like that. Herbrother ate his meal in silence, and going to his room afterwardsdiscovered every pair of boots he possessed, headed by the tallsea-boots, standing in a nicely graduated line by the wall, and allshining their hardest. For two days did Mr. Wilks do good by stealth, leaving Ann to blush tofind it fame; but on the third day at dinner, as the captain took up hisknife and fork to carve, he became aware of a shadow standing behind hischair. A shadow in a blue coat with metal buttons, which, whipping upthe first plate carved, carried it to Mrs. Kingdom, and then leanedagainst her with the vegetable dishes. The dishes clattered a little on his arm as he helped the captain, butthe latter, after an impressive pause and a vain attempt to catch the eyeof Mr. Wilks, which was intent upon things afar off, took up the spoonand helped himself. From the unwonted silence of Miss Nugent in thepresence of anything unusual it was clear to him that the whole thing hadbeen carefully arranged. He ate in silence, and a resolution to kick Mr. Wilks off the premises vanished before the comfort, to say nothing of thedignity, afforded by his presence. Mr. Wilks, somewhat reassured, favoured Miss Nugent with a wink to which, although she had devoted muchtime in trying to acquire the art, she endeavoured in vain to respond. It was on the day following this that Jack Nugent, at his sister'sinstigation, made an attempt to avenge the family honour. Miss Nugent, although she treated him with scant courtesy herself, had a touchingfaith in his prowess, a faith partly due to her brother occasionallyshowing her his bicep muscles in moments of exaltation. "There's that horrid Jem Hardy, " she said, suddenly, as they walked alongthe road. "So it is, " said Master Nugent, but without any display of enthusiasm. "Halloa, Jack, " shouted Master Hardy across the road. "The suspense became painful. " "Halloa, " responded the other. "He's going to fight you, " shrilled Miss Nugent, who thought theseamenities ill-timed; "he said so. " Master Hardy crossed the road. "What for?" he demanded, with surprise. "Because you're a nasty, horrid boy, " replied Miss Nugent, drawingherself up. "Oh, " said Master Hardy, blankly. The two gentlemen stood regarding each other with uneasy grins; the ladystood by in breathless expectation. The suspense became painful. [Illustration: "The suspense became painful. "] "Who are you staring at?" demanded Master Nugent, at last. "You, " replied the other; "who are you staring at?" "You, " said Master Nugent, defiantly. There was a long interval, both gentlemen experiencing some difficulty inworking up sufficient heat for the engagement. "You hit me and see what you'll get, " said Master Hardy, at length. "You hit me, " said the other. "Cowardy, cowardy custard, " chanted the well-bred Miss Nugent, "ate hismother's mustard. Cowardy, cowardy cus--" "Why don't you send that kid home?" demanded Master Hardy, eyeing thefair songstress with strong disfavour. "You leave my sister alone, " said the other, giving him a light tap onthe shoulder. "There's your coward's blow. " Master Hardy made a ceremonious return. "There's yours, " he said. "Let's go behind the church. " His foe assented, and they proceeded in grave silence to a piece of grassscreened by trees, which stood between the church and the beach. Herethey removed their coats and rolled up their shirt-sleeves. Things lookdifferent out of doors, and to Miss Nugent the arms of both gentlemenseemed somewhat stick-like in their proportions. The preliminaries were awful, both combatants prancing round each otherwith their faces just peering above their bent right arms, while theirtrusty lefts dealt vicious blows at the air. Miss Nugent turned pale andcaught her breath at each blow, then she suddenly reddened with wrath asJames Philip Hardy, having paid his tribute to science, began to hammerJohn Augustus Nugent about the face in a most painful and workmanlikefashion. She hid her face for a moment, and when she looked again Jack was on theground, and Master Hardy just rising from his prostrate body. Then Jackrose slowly and, crossing over to her, borrowed her handkerchief andapplied it with great tenderness to his nose. "Does it hurt, Jack?" she inquired, anxiously. "No, " growled herbrother. He threw down the handkerchief and turned to his opponent again; MissNugent, who was careful about her property, stooped to recover it, andimmediately found herself involved in a twisting tangle of legs, fromwhich she escaped by a miracle to see Master Hardy cuddling her brotherround the neck with one hand and punching him as hard and as fast as hecould with the other. The unfairness of it maddened her, and the nextmoment Master Hardy's head was drawn forcibly backwards by the hair. Thepain was so excruciating that he released his victim at once, and MissNugent, emitting a series of terrified yelps, dashed off in the directionof home, her hair bobbing up and down on her shoulders, and her smallblack legs in an ecstasy of motion. Master Hardy, with no very well-defined ideas of what he was going to doif he caught her, started in pursuit. His scalp was still smarting andhis eyes watering with the pain as he pounded behind her. Panting wildlyshe heard him coming closer and closer, and she was just about to give upwhen, to her joy, she saw her father coming towards them. Master Hardy, intent on his quarry, saw him just in time, and, swervinginto the road, passed in safety as Miss Nugent flung herself with someviolence at her father's waistcoat and, clinging to him convulsively, fought for breath. It was some time before she could furnish theastonished captain with full details, and she was pleased to find thathis indignation led him to ignore the hair-grabbing episode, on which, to do her justice, she touched but lightly. That evening, for the first time in his life, Captain Nugent, after somedeliberation, called upon his late mate. The old servant who, since Mrs. Hardy's death the year before, had looked after the house, was out, andHardy, unaware of the honour intended him, was scandalized by the mannerin which his son received the visitor. The door opened, there was aninvoluntary grunt from Master Hardy, and the next moment he sped alongthe narrow passage and darted upstairs. His father, after waiting invain for his return, went to the door himself. "Good evening, cap'n, " he said, in surprise. Nugent responded gruffly, and followed him into the sitting-room. To aninvitation to sit, he responded more gruffly still that he preferred tostand. He then demanded instant and sufficient punishment of MasterHardy for frightening his daughter. Even as he spoke he noticed with strong disfavour the change which hadtaken place in his late first officer. The change which takes place whena man is promoted from that rank to that of master is subtle, butunmistakable--sometimes, as in the present instance, more unmistakablethan subtle. Captain Hardy coiled his long, sinewy form in an arm-chairand, eyeing him calmly, lit his pipe before replying. [Illustration: "Captain Hardy lit his pipe before replying. "] "Boys will fight, " he said, briefly. "I'm speaking of his running after my daughter, " said Nugent, sternly. Hardy's eyes twinkled. "Young dog, " he said, genially; "at his age, too. " Captain Nugent's face was suffused with wrath at the pleasantry, and heregarded him with a fixed stare. On board the _Conqueror_ there was awitchery in that glance more potent than the spoken word, but in his ownparlour the new captain met it calmly. "I didn't come here to listen to your foolery, " said Nugent; "I came totell you to punish that boy of yours. " "And I sha'n't do it, " replied the other. "I have got something betterto do than interfere in children's quarrels. I haven't got your sparetime, you know. " Captain Nugent turned purple. Such language from his late first officerwas a revelation to him. "I also came to warn you, " he said, furiously, "that I shall take the lawinto my own hands if you refuse. " "Aye, aye, " said Hardy, with careless contempt; "I'll tell him to keepout of your way. But I should advise you to wait until I have sailed. " Captain Nugent, who was moving towards the door, swung round andconfronted him savagely. "What do you mean?" he demanded. "What I say, " retorted Captain Hardy. "I don't want to indulge Sunwichwith the spectacle of two middle-aged ship-masters at fisticuffs, butthat's what'll happen if you touch my boy. It would probably please thespectators more than it would us. " "I'll cane him the first time I lay hands on him, " roared Captain Nugent. Captain Hardy's stock of patience was at an end, and there was, moreover, a long and undischarged account between himself and his late skipper. Herose and crossed to the door. "Jem, " he cried, "come downstairs and show Captain Nugent out. " There was a breathless pause. Captain Nugent ground his teeth with furyas he saw the challenge, and realized the ridiculous position into whichhis temper had led him; and the other, who was also careful ofappearances, repented the order the moment he had given it. Matters hadnow, however, passed out of their hands, and both men cast appraisingglances at each other's form. The only one who kept his head was MasterHardy, and it was a source of considerable relief to both of them when, from the top of the stairs, the voice of that youthful Solomon was hearddeclining in the most positive terms to do anything of the kind. Captain Hardy repeated his command. The only reply was the violentclosing of a door at the top of the house, and after waiting a short timehe led the way to the front door himself. "You will regret your insolence before I have done with you, " said hisvisitor, as he paused on the step. "It's the old story of a beggar onhorseback. " "It's a good story, " said Captain Hardy, "but to my mind it doesn't comeup to the one about Humpty-Dumpty. Good-night. " CHAPTER III If anything was wanted to convince Captain Nugent that his action hadbeen foolish and his language intemperate it was borne in upon him by thesubsequent behaviour of Master Hardy. Generosity is seldom an attributeof youth, while egotism, on the other hand, is seldom absent. So farfrom realizing that the captain would have scorned such lowly game, Master Hardy believed that he lived for little else, and hisJack-in-the-box ubiquity was a constant marvel and discomfort to thatirritable mariner. Did he approach a seat on the beach, it was MasterHardy who rose (at the last moment) to make room for him. Did he strolldown to the harbour, it was in the wake of a small boy looking coyly athim over his shoulder. Every small alley as he passed seemed to containa Jem Hardy, who whizzed out like a human firework in front of him, andthen followed dancing on his toes a pace or two in his rear. This was on week-days; on the Sabbath Master Hardy's daring ingenuity ledhim to still further flights. All the seats at the parish church werefree, but Captain Nugent, whose admirable practice it was to take hisentire family to church, never thoroughly realized how free they wereuntil Master Hardy squeezed his way in and, taking a seat next to him, prayed with unwonted fervour into the interior of a new hat, and thensitting back watched with polite composure the efforts of Miss Nugent'sfamily to re-strain her growing excitement. Charmed with the experiment, he repeated it the following Sunday. Thistime he boarded the seat from the other end, and seeing no place by thecaptain, took one, or more correctly speaking made one, between MissNugent and Jack, and despite the former's elbow began to feel almost likeone of the family. Hostile feelings vanished, and with an amiable smileat the half-frantic Miss Nugent he placed a "bull's-eye" of greatstrength in his cheek, and leaning forward for a hymn-book left one onthe ledge in front of jack. A double-distilled perfume at once assailedthe atmosphere. Miss Nugent sat dazed at his impudence, and for the first time in herlife doubts as to her father's capacity stirred within her. Sheattempted the poor consolation of an "acid tablet, " and it was atonce impounded by the watchful Mrs. Kingdom. Mean-time the reek of"bull's-eyes" was insufferable. The service seemed interminable, and all that time the indignant damsel, wedged in between her aunt and the openly exultant enemy of her House, was compelled to endure in silence. She did indeed attempt one remark, and Master Hardy, with a horrified expression of outraged piety, said"H'sh, " and shook his head at her. It was almost more than flesh andblood could bear, and when the unobservant Mrs. Kingdom asked her for thetext on the way home her reply nearly cost her the loss of her dinner. The _Conqueror, _ under its new commander, sailed on the day following. Mr. Wilks watched it from the quay, and the new steward observing himcame to the side, and holding aloft an old pantry-cloth between hisfinger and thumb until he had attracted his attention, dropped itoverboard with every circumstance of exaggerated horror. By the time asuitable retort had occurred to the ex-steward the steamer was half amile distant, and the extraordinary and unnatural pantomime in which heindulged on the edge of the quay was grievously misinterpreted by anervous man in a sailing boat. [Illustration: "Mr. Wilks watched it from the quay. "] Master Hardy had also seen the ship out, and, perched on the extreme endof the breakwater, he remained watching until she was hull down on thehorizon. Then he made his way back to the town and the nearestconfectioner, and started for home just as Miss Nugent, who was aboutto pay a call with her aunt, waited, beautifully dressed, in the frontgarden while that lady completed her preparations. Feeling very spic and span, and still a trifle uncomfortable from thevigorous attentions of Ann, who cleansed her as though she had been adoorstep, she paced slowly up and down the path. Upon these occasions ofhigh dress a spirit of Sabbath calm was wont to descend upon her and saveher from escapades to which in a less severe garb she was somewhat prone. She stopped at the gate and looked up the road. Then her face flushed, and she cast her eyes behind her to make sure that the hall-door stoodopen. The hated scion of the house of Hardy was coming down the road, and, in view of that fact, she forgot all else--even her manners. The boy, still fresh from the loss of his natural protector, kept a waryeye on the house as he approached. Then all expression died out of hisface, and he passed the gate, blankly ignoring the small girl who wasleaning over it and apparently suffering from elephantiasis of thetongue. He went by quietly, and Miss Nugent, raging inwardly that shehad misbehaved to no purpose, withdrew her tongue for more legitimateuses. "Boo, " she cried; "who had his hair pulled?" Master Hardy pursued the even tenor of his way. "Who's afraid to answer me for fear my father will thrash him?" cried thedisappointed lady, raising her voice. This was too much. The enemy retraced his steps and came up to the gate. "You're a rude little girl, " he said, with an insufferably grown-up air. "Who had his hair pulled?" demanded Miss Nugent, capering wildly; "whohad his hair pulled?" "Don't be silly, " said Master Hardy. "Here. " He put his hand in hispocket, and producing some nuts offered them over the gate. At this MissNugent ceased her capering, and wrath possessed her that the enemy shouldthus misunderstand the gravity of the situation. "Well, give 'em to Jack, then, " pursued the boy; "he won't say no. " This was a distinct reflection on Jack's loyalty, and her indignation wasnot lessened by the fact that she knew it was true. "Go away from our gate, " she stormed. "If my father catches you, you'llsuffer. " "Pooh!" said the dare-devil. He looked up at the house and then, openingthe gate, strode boldly into the front garden. Before this intrusionMiss Nugent retreated in alarm, and gaining the door-step gazed at him indismay. Then her face cleared suddenly, and Master Hardy looking overhis shoulder saw that his retreat was cut off by Mr. Wilks. "Don't let him hurt me, Sam, " entreated Miss Nugent, piteously. Mr. Wilks came into the garden and closed the gate behind him. "I wasn't going to hurt her, " cried Master Hardy, anxiously; "as if Ishould hurt a girl! "Wot are you doing in our front garden, then?" demanded Mr. Wilks. He sprang forward suddenly and, catching the boy by the collar with onehuge hand, dragged him, struggling violently, down the side-entrance intothe back garden. Miss Nugent, following close behind, sought to improvethe occasion. "See what you get by coming into our garden, " she said. The victim made no reply. He was writhing strenuously in order tofrustrate Mr. Wilks's evident desire to arrange him comfortably for theadministration of the stick he was carrying. Satisfied at last, theex-steward raised his weapon, and for some seconds plied it briskly. Miss Nugent trembled, but sternly repressing sympathy for the sufferer, was pleased that the long arm of justice had at last over-taken him. "Let him go now, Sam, " she said; "he's crying. " "I'm not, " yelled Master Hardy, frantically. "I can see the tears, " declared Miss Nugent, bending. Mr. Wilks plied the rod again until his victim, with a sudden turn, fetched him a violent kick on the shin and broke loose. The ex-stewardset off in pursuit, somewhat handicapped by the fact that he dare not goover flower-beds, whilst Master Hardy was singularly free from suchprejudices. Miss Nugent ran to the side-entrance to cut off his retreat. She was willing for him to be released, but not to escape, and so it fellout that the boy, dodging beneath Mr. Wilks's outspread arms, chargedblindly up the side-entrance and bowled the young lady over. There was a shrill squeal, a flutter of white, and a neat pair of buttonboots waving in the air. Then Miss Nugent, sobbing piteously, rose fromthe puddle into which she had fallen and surveyed her garments. Mr. Wilks surveyed them, too, and a very cursory glance was sufficient toshow him that the case was beyond his powers. He took the outrageddamsel by the hand, and led her, howling lustily, in to the horrifiedAnn. "My word, " said she, gasping. "Look at your gloves! Look at yourfrock!" But Miss Nugent was looking at her knees. There was only a slightredness about the left, but from the right a piece of skin wasindubitably missing. This knee she gave Ann instructions to foment withfair water of a comfortable temperature, indulging in satisfiedprognostications as to the fate of Master Hardy when her father shouldsee the damage. The news, when the captain came home, was broken to him by degrees. He was first shown the flower-beds by Ann, then Mrs. Kingdom brought invarious soiled garments, and at the psychological moment his daughterbared her knees. "What will you do to him, father?" she inquired. The captain ignored the question in favour of a few remarks on thesubject of his daughter's behaviour, coupled with stern inquiries as towhere she learnt such tricks. In reply Miss Nugent sheltered herselfbehind a list which contained the names of all the young gentlemen whoattended her kindergarten class and many of the young ladies, and againinquired as to the fate of her assailant. Jack came in soon after, and the indefatigable Miss Nugent produced herknees again. She had to describe the injury to the left, but the rightspoke for itself. Jack gazed at it with indignation, and then, withoutwaiting for his tea, put on his cap and sallied out again. He returned an hour later, and instead of entering the sitting-roomwent straight upstairs to bed, from whence he sent down word by thesympathetic Ann that he was suffering from a bad headache, which heproposed to treat with raw meat applied to the left eye. His nose, whichwas apparently suffering from sympathetic inflammation, he left to takecare of itself, that organ bitterly resenting any treatment whatsoever. He described the battle to Kate and Ann the next day, darkly ascribinghis defeat to a mysterious compound which Jem Hardy was believed to rubinto his arms; to a foolish error of judgment at the beginning of thefray, and to the sun which shone persistently in his eyes all the time. His audience received the explanations in chilly silence. "And he said it was an accident he knocked you down, " he concluded; "hesaid he hoped you weren't hurt, and he gave me some toffee for you. " "What did you do with it?" demanded Miss Nugent. "I knew you wouldn't have it, " replied her brother, inconsequently, "andthere wasn't much of it. " His sister regarded him sharply. "You don't mean to say you ate it?" she screamed. "Why not?" demanded her brother. "I wanted comforting, I can tell you. " "I wonder you were not too--too proud, " said Miss Nugent, bitterly. "I'm never too proud to eat toffee, " retorted Jack, simply. He stalked off in dudgeon at the lack of sympathy displayed by hisaudience, and being still in need of comforting sought it amid theraspberry-canes. His father noted his son's honourable scars, but made no comment. As toany action on his own part, he realized to the full the impotence of alaw-abiding and dignified citizen when confronted by lawless youth. ButMaster Hardy came to church no more. Indeed, the following Sunday he wasfully occupied on the beach, enacting the part of David, after firstimpressing the raving Mr. Wilks into that of Goliath. [Illustration: "Master Hardy on the beach enacting the part of David. "] CHAPTER IV For the next month or two Master Hardy's existence was brightened by theefforts of an elderly steward who made no secret of his intentions ofputting an end to it. Mr. Wilks at first placed great reliance on thesaw that "it is the early bird that catches the worm, " but lost faith init when he found that it made no provision for cases in which the wormleaning from its bedroom window addressed spirited remonstrances to thebird on the subject of its personal appearance. To the anxious inquiries of Miss Nugent, Mr. Wilks replied that he wasbiding his time. Every delay, he hinted, made it worse for Master Hardywhen the day of retribution should dawn, and although she pleadedearnestly for a little on account he was unable to meet her wishes. Before that day came, however, Captain Nugent heard of the proceedings, and after a painful interview with the steward, during which the latter'sfailings by no means escaped attention, confined him to the house. [Illustration: "Mr. Wilks replied that he was biding his time. "] An excellent reason for absenting himself from school was thus denied toMaster Hardy; but it has been well said that when one door closes anotheropens, and to his great satisfaction the old servant, who had been inpoor health for some time, suddenly took to her bed and required hisundivided attention. He treated her at first with patent medicines purchased at the chemist's, a doctor being regarded by both of them as a piece of unnecessaryextravagance; but in spite of four infallible remedies she got steadilyworse. Then a doctor was called in, and by the time Captain Hardyreturned home she had made a partial recovery, but was clearly incapableof further work. She left in a cab to accept a home with a niece, leaving the captain confronted with a problem which he had seen growingfor some time past. "I can't make up my mind what to do with you, " he observed, regarding hisson. "I'm very comfortable, " was the reply. "You're too comfortable, " said his father. You're running wild. It's just as well poor old Martha has gone; it hasbrought things to a head. " "We could have somebody else, " suggested his son. The captain shook his head. "I'll give up the house and send you toLondon to your Aunt Mary, " he said, slowly; "she doesn't know you, andonce I'm at sea and the house given up, she won't be able to send youback. " Master Hardy, who was much averse to leaving Sunwich and had heardaccounts of the lady in question which referred principally to herstrength of mind, made tender inquiries concerning his father's comfortwhile ashore. "I'll take rooms, " was the reply, "and I shall spend as much time as Ican with you in London. You want looking after, my son; I've heard allabout you. " His son, without inquiring as to the nature of the information, denied itat once upon principle; he also alluded darkly to his education, andshook his head over the effects of a change at such a critical period ofhis existence. "And you talk too much for your age, " was his father's comment when hehad finished. "A year or two with your aunt ought to make a nice boy ofyou; there's plenty of room for improvement. " He put his plans in hand at once, and a week before he sailed again haddisposed of the house. Some of the furniture he kept for himself; butthe bulk of it went to his sister as conscience-money. Master Hardy, in very low spirits, watched it taken away. Big men inhob-nailed boots ran noisily up the bare stairs, and came down slowly, steering large pieces of furniture through narrow passages, and usingmuch vain repetition when they found their hands acting as fenders. Thewardrobe, a piece of furniture which had been built for larger premises, was a particularly hard nut to crack, but they succeeded at last--inthree places. [Illustration: "A particularly hard nut to crack. "] A few of his intimates came down to see the last of him, and Miss Nugent, who in some feminine fashion regarded the move as a triumph for herfamily, passed by several times. It might have been chance, it mighthave been design, but the boy could not help noticing that when thepiano, the wardrobe, and other fine pieces were being placed in the van, she was at the other end of the road a position from which such curios asa broken washstand or a two-legged chair never failed to entice her. It was over at last. The second van had disappeared, and nothing wasleft but a litter of straw and paper. The front door stood open andrevealed desolation. Miss Nugent came to the gate and stared insuperciliously. "I'm glad you're going, " she said, frankly. Master Hardy scarcely noticed her. One of his friends who concealedstrong business instincts beneath a sentimental exterior had suggestedsouvenirs and given him a spectacle-glass said to have belonged to HenryVIII. , and he was busy searching his pockets for an adequate return. Then Captain Hardy came up, and first going over the empty house, cameout and bade his son accompany him to the station. A minute or two laterand they were out of sight; the sentimentalist stood on the curb gloatingover a newly acquired penknife, and Miss Nugent, after being stronglyreproved by him for curiosity, paced slowly home with her head in theair. Sunwich made no stir over the departure of one of its youthful citizens. Indeed, it lacked not those who would have cheerfully parted with two orthree hundred more. The boy was quite chilled by the tameness of hisexit, and for years afterwards the desolate appearance of the platform asthe train steamed out occurred to him with an odd sense of discomfort. In all Sunwich there was only one person who grieved over his departure, and he, after keeping his memory green for two years, wrote off fivepenceas a bad debt and dismissed him from his thoughts. Two months after the _Conqueror_ had sailed again Captain Nugent obtainedcommand of a steamer sailing between London and the Chinese ports. Fromthe gratified lips of Mr. Wilks, Sunwich heard of this new craft, theparticular glory of which appeared to be the luxurious appointments ofthe steward's quarters. Language indeed failed Mr. Wilks in describingit, and, pressed for details, he could only murmur disjointedly ofsatin-wood, polished brass, and crimson velvet. Jack Nugent hailed his father's departure with joy. They had seen agreat deal of each other during the latter's prolonged stay ashore, andneither had risen in the other's estimation in consequence. He becameenthusiastic over the sea as a profession for fathers, and gave himselfsome airs over acquaintances less fortunately placed. In the first flushof liberty he took to staying away from school, the education thus lostbeing only partially atoned for by a grown-up style of compositionengendered by dictating excuses to the easy-going Mrs. Kingdom. At seventeen he learnt, somewhat to his surprise, that his education wasfinished. His father provided the information and, simply as a matter ofform, consulted him as to his views for the future. It was an importantthing to decide upon at short notice, but he was equal to it, and, havingsuggested gold-digging as the only profession he cared for, was promptlyprovided by the incensed captain with a stool in the local bank. [Illustration: "A stool in the local bank. "] He occupied it for three weeks, a period of time which coincided to a daywith his father's leave ashore. He left behind him his initials cutdeeply in the lid of his desk, a miscellaneous collection of cheapfiction, and a few experiments in book-keeping which the managerultimately solved with red ink and a ruler. A slight uneasiness as to the wisdom of his proceedings occurred to himjust before his father's return, but he comforted himself and Kate withthe undeniable truth that after all the captain couldn't eat him. He wasafraid, however, that the latter would be displeased, and, with aconstitutional objection to unpleasantness, he contrived to be out whenhe returned, leaving to Mrs. Kingdom the task of breaking the news. The captain's reply was brief and to the point. He asked his son whetherhe would like to go to sea, and upon receiving a decided answer in thenegative, at once took steps to send him there. In two days he hadprocured him an outfit, and within a week Jack Nugent, greatly to his ownsurprise, was on the way to Melbourne as apprentice on the barque _SilverStream_. He liked it even less than the bank. The monotony of the sea wasappalling to a youth of his tastes, and the fact that the skipper, a manwho never spoke except to find fault, was almost loquacious with himfailed to afford him any satisfaction. He liked the mates no better thanthe skipper, and having said as much one day to the second officer, hadno reason afterwards to modify his opinions. He lived a life apart, andexcept for the cook, another martyr to fault-finding, had no society. In these uncongenial circumstances the new apprentice worked for fourmonths as he had never believed it possible he could work. He wasannoyed both at the extent and the variety of his tasks, the work of anA. B. Being gratuitously included in his curriculum. The end of thevoyage found him desperate, and after a hasty consultation with the cookthey deserted together and went up-country. Letters, dealing mainly with the ideas and adventures of the cook, reached Sunwich at irregular intervals, and were eagerly perused by Mrs. Kingdom and Kate, but the captain forbade all mention of him. Then theyceased altogether, and after a year or two of unbroken silence Mrs. Kingdom asserted herself, and a photograph in her possession, the onlyone extant, exposing the missing Jack in petticoats and sash, suddenlyappeared on the drawing-room mantelpiece. The captain stared, but made no comment. Disappointed in his son, heturned for consolation to his daughter, noting with some concern theunaccountable changes which that young lady underwent during hisabsences. He noticed a difference after every voyage. He left behindhim on one occasion a nice trim little girl, and returned to find acreature all legs and arms. He returned again and found the arms lessobnoxious and the legs hidden by a long skirt; and as he complained insecret astonishment to his sister, she had developed a motherly mannerin her dealings with him which was almost unbearable. "She'll grow out of it soon, " said Mrs. Kingdom; "you wait and see. " The captain growled and waited, and found his sister's prognosticationspartly fulfilled. The exuberance of Miss Nugent's manner was certainlymodified by time, but she developed instead a quiet, unassuming habit ofauthority which he liked as little. "She gets made such a fuss of, it's no wonder, " said Mrs. Kingdom, with asatisfied smile. "I never heard of a girl getting as much attention asshe does; it's a wonder her head isn't turned. " "Eh!" said the startled captain; "she'd better not let me see anything ofit. " "Just so, " said Mrs. Kingdom. The captain dwelt on these words and kept his eyes open, and, owing tohis daughter's benevolent efforts on his behalf, had them fully occupied. He went to sea firmly convinced that she would do something foolish inthe matrimonial line, the glowing terms in which he had overheard herdescribing the charms of the new postman to Mrs. Kingdom filling him withthe direst forebodings. It was his last voyage. An unexpected windfall from an almost forgottenuncle and his own investments had placed him in a position of modestcomfort, and just before Miss Nugent reached her twentieth birthday heresolved to spend his declining days ashore and give her those advantagesof parental attention from which she had been so long debarred. Mr. Wilks, to the inconsolable grief of his ship-mates, left with him. He had been for nearly a couple of years in receipt of an annuitypurchased for him under the will of his mother, and his defection left agap never to be filled among comrades who had for some time regarded himin the light of an improved drinking fountain. CHAPTER V On a fine afternoon, some two months after his release from the toilsof the sea, Captain Nugent sat in the special parlour of The Goblets. The old inn offers hospitality to all, but one parlour has by ancienttradition and the exercise of self-restraint and proper feeling beenfrom time immemorial reserved for the elite of the town. The captain, confident in the security of these unwritten regulations, conversed freely with his peers. He had been moved to speech by theutter absence of discipline ashore, and from that had wandered to thegrowing evil of revolutionary ideas at sea. His remarks were muchapplauded, and two brother-captains listened with grave respect to adisquisition on the wrongs of shipmasters ensuing on the fanciedrights of sailor men, the only discordant note being struck by theharbour-master, a man whose ideas had probably been insidiously sappedby a long residence ashore. "A man before the mast, " said the latter, fortifying his moral couragewith whisky, "is a human being. " "Nobody denies it, " said Captain Nugent, looking round. One captain agreed with him. "Why don't they act like it, then?" demanded the other. Nugent and the first captain, struck by the re-mark, thought they hadperhaps been too hasty in their admission, and waited for number two tocontinue. They eyed him with silent encouragement. "Why don't they act like it, then?" repeated number two, who, being aman of few ideas, was not disposed to waste them. Captain Nugent and his friend turned to the harbour-master to see how hewould meet this poser. "They mostly do, " he replied, sturdily. "Treat a seaman well, and he'lltreat you well. " This was rank heresy, and moreover seemed to imply something. CaptainNugent wondered dismally whether life ashore would infect him with thesame opinions. "What about that man of mine who threw a belaying-pin at me?" The harbour-master quailed at the challenge. The obvious retort wasoffensive. "I shall carry the mark with me to my grave, " added the captain, as afurther inducement to him to reply. "I hope that you'll carry it a long time, " said the harbour-master, gracefully. "Here, look here, Hall!" expostulated captain number two, starting up. "It's all right, Cooper, " said Nugent. "It's all right, " said captain number one, and in a rash moment undertookto explain. In five minutes he had clouded Captain Cooper's intellectfor the afternoon. He was still busy with his self-imposed task when a diversion was createdby the entrance of a new arrival. A short, stout man stood for a momentwith the handle of the door in his hand, and then came in, carefullybearing before him a glass of gin and water. It was the first time thathe had set foot there, and all understood that by this intrusion Mr. Daniel Kybird sought to place sea-captains and other dignitaries on afooting with the keepers of slop-shops and dealers in old clothes. Inthe midst of an impressive silence he set his glass upon the table and, taking a chair, drew a small clay pipe from his pocket. [Illustration: "A diversion was created by the entrance of a newarrival. "] Aghast at the intrusion, the quartette conferred with their eyes, alanguage which is perhaps only successful in love. Captain Cooper, whowas usually moved to speech by externals, was the first to speak. "You've got a sty coming on your eye, Hall, " he remarked. "I daresay. " "If anybody's got a needle, " said the captain, who loved minoroperations. Nobody heeded him except the harbour-master, and he muttered somethingabout beams and motes, which the captain failed to understand. Theothers were glaring darkly at Mr. Kybird, who had taken up a newspaperand was busy perusing it. "Are you looking for anybody?" demanded Captain Nugent, at last. "No, " said Mr. Kybird, looking at him over the top of his paper. "What have you come here for, then?" inquired the captain. "I come 'ere to drink two o' gin cold, " returned Mr. Kybird, with adignity befitting the occupation. "Well, suppose you drink it somewhere else, " suggested the captain. Mr. Kybird had another supposition to offer. "Suppose I don't?" heremarked. "I'm a respect-able British tradesman, and my money is as goodas yours. I've as much right to be here as you 'ave. I've never doneanything I'm ashamed of!" "And you never will, " said Captain Cooper's friend, grimly, "not if youlive to be a hundred. " Mr. Kybird looked surprised at the tribute. "Thankee, " he said, gratefully. "Well, we don't want you here, " said Captain Nugent. "We prefer yourroom to your company. " Mr. Kybird leaned back in his chair and twisted his blunt features intoan expression of withering contempt. Then he took up a glass and drank, and discovered too late that in the excitement of the moment he had madefree with the speaker's whisky. "Don't apologize, " interrupted the captain; "it's soon remedied. " He took the glass up gingerly and flung it with a crash into thefireplace. Then he rang the bell. "I've smashed a dirty glass, " he said, as the bar-man entered. "Howmuch?" The man told him, and the captain, after a few stern remarks aboutprivacy and harpies, left the room with his friends, leaving thespeechless Mr. Kybird gazing at the broken glass and returning evasivereplies to the inquiries of the curious Charles. He finished his gin and water slowly. For months he had been screwing uphis courage to carry that room by assault, and this was the result. Hehad been insulted almost in the very face of Charles, a youth whosereputation as a gossip was second to none in Sunwich. "Do you know what I should do if I was you?" said that worthy, as heentered the room again and swept up the broken glass. "I do not, " said Mr. Kybird, with lofty indifference. "I shouldn't come 'ere again, that's what I should do, " said Charles, frankly. "Next time he'll throw you in the fireplace. " "Ho, " said the heated Mr. Kybird. "Ho, will he? I'd like to see 'im. I'll make 'im sorry for this afore I've done with 'im. I'll learn 'im toinsult a respectable British tradesman. I'll show him who's who. " "What'll you do?" inquired the other. "Never you mind, " said Mr. Kybird, who was not in a position to satisfyhis curiosity--"never you mind. You go and get on with your work, Charles, and p'r'aps by the time your moustache 'as grown big enough tobe seen, you'll 'ear something. " "I 'eard something the other day, " said the bar-man, musingly; "about youit was, but I wouldn't believe it. " "Wot was it?" demanded the other. "Nothing much, " replied Charles, standing with his hand on the door-knob, "but I wouldn't believe it of you; I said I couldn't. " "Wot--was--it?" insisted Mr. Kybird. "Why, they said you once gave a man a fair price for a pair of trousers, "said the barman, indignantly. He closed the door behind him softly, and Mr. Kybird, after a briefpause, opened it again and, more softly still, quitted the precincts ofThe Goblets, and stepped across the road to his emporium. [Illustration: "He stepped across the road to his emporium. "] Captain Nugent, in happy ignorance of the dark designs of the wardrobedealer, had also gone home. He was only just beginning to realize thecomparative unimportance of a retired shipmaster, and the knowledge wasa source of considerable annoyance to him. No deferential mates listenedrespectfully to his instructions, no sturdy seaman ran to execute hiscommands or trembled mutinously at his wrath. The only person in thewide world who stood in awe of him was the general servant Bella, and shemade no attempt to conceal her satisfaction at the attention excited byher shortcomings. He paused a moment at the gate and then, walking slowly up to the door, gave it the knock of a master. A full minute passing, he knocked again, remembering with some misgivings his stern instructions of the day beforethat the door was to be attended by the servant and by nobody else. Hehad seen Miss Nugent sitting at the window as he passed it, but in thecircumstances the fact gave him no comfort. A third knock was followedby a fourth, and then a distressed voice upstairs was heard callingwildly upon the name of Bella. At the fifth knock the house shook, and a red-faced maid with hershoulders veiled in a large damp towel passed hastily down the staircaseand, slipping the catch, passed more hastily still upstairs again, affording the indignant captain a glimpse of a short striped skirt as itturned the landing. "Is there any management at all in this house?" he inquired, as heentered the room. "Bella was dressing, " said Miss Nugent, calmly, "and you gave ordersyesterday that nobody else was to open the door. " "Nobody else when she's available, " qualified her father, eyeing hersharply. "When I give orders I expect people to use their common sense. Why isn't my tea ready? It's five o'clock. " "The clock's twenty minutes fast, " said Kate. "Who's been meddling withit?" demanded her father, verifying the fact by his watch. Miss Nugent shook her head. "It's gained that since you regulated itlast night, " she said, with a smile. The captain threw himself into an easy-chair, and with one eye on theclock, waited until, at five minutes to the hour by the right time, aclatter of crockery sounded from the kitchen, and Bella, still damp, camein with the tray. Her eye was also on the clock, and she smirked weaklyin the captain's direction as she saw that she was at least two minutesahead of time. At a minute to the hour the teapot itself was on thetray, and the heavy breathing of the handmaiden in the kitchen wasaudible to all. "Punctual to the minute, John, " said Mrs. Kingdom, as she took her seatat the tray. "It's wonderful how that girl has improved since you'vebeen at home. She isn't like the same girl. " She raised the teapot and, after pouring out a little of the contents, put it down again and gave it another two minutes. At the end of thattime, the colour being of the same unsatisfactory paleness, she set thepot down and was about to raise the lid when an avalanche burst into theroom and, emptying some tea into the pot from a canister-lid, beat ahasty re-treat. "Good tea and well-trained servants, " muttered the captain to his plate. "What more can a man want?" Mrs. Kingdom coughed and passed his cup; Miss Nugent, who possessed ahealthy appetite, serenely attacked her bread and butter; conversationlanguished. "I suppose you've heard the news, John?" said his sister. "I daresay I have, " was the reply. "Strange he should come back after all these years, " said Mrs. Kingdom;"though, to be sure, I don't know why he shouldn't. It's his nativeplace, and his father lives here. " "Who are you talking about?" inquired the captain. "Why, James Hardy, " replied his sister. "I thought you said you hadheard. He's coming back to Sunwich and going into partnership with oldSwann, the shipbroker. A very good thing for him, I should think. " "I'm not interested in the doings of the Hardys, " said the captain, gruffly. "I'm sure I'm not, " said his sister, defensively. Captain Nugent proceeded with his meal in silence. His hatred of Hardyhad not been lessened by the success which had attended that gentleman'scareer, and was not likely to be improved by the well-being of Hardyjunior. He passed his cup for some more tea, and, with a furtive glanceat the photograph on the mantelpiece, wondered what had happened to hisown son. "I don't suppose I should know him if I saw him, " continued Mrs. Kingdom, addressing a respectable old arm-chair; "London is sure to have changedhim. " "Is this water-cress?" inquired the captain, looking up from his plate. "Yes. Why?" said Mrs. Kingdom. "I only wanted information, " said her brother, as he deposited the saladin question in the slop-basin. Mrs. Kingdom, with a resigned expression, tried to catch her niece's eyeand caught the captain's instead. Miss Nugent happening to glance up sawher fascinated by the basilisk glare of the master of the house. "Some more tea, please, " she said. Her aunt took her cup, and in gratitude for the diversion picked out thelargest lumps of sugar in the basin. "London changes so many people, " mused the persevering lady, stirring hertea. "I've noticed it before. Why it is I can't say, but the factremains. It seems to improve them altogether. I dare say that youngHardy--" "Will you understand that I won't have the Hardys mentiond in my house?"said the captain, looking up. "I'm not interested in their business, andI will not have it discussed here. " "As you please, John, " said his sister, drawing herself up. "It's yourhouse and you are master here. I'm sure I don't want to discuss them. Nothing was farther from my thoughts. You understand what your fathersays, Kate?" "Perfectly, " said Miss Nugent. "When the desire to talk about the Hardysbecomes irresistible we must go for a walk. " The captain turned in his chair and regarded his daughter steadily. Shemet his gaze with calm affection. "I wish you were a boy, " he growled. "You're the only man in Sunwich who wishes that, " said Miss Nugent, complacently, "and I don't believe you mean it. If you'll come a littlecloser I'll put my head on your shoulder and convert you. " "Kate!" said Mrs. Kingdom, reprovingly. "And, talking about heads, " said Miss Nugent, briskly, "reminds me that Iwant a new hat. You needn't look like that; good-looking daughtersalways come expensive. " She moved her chair a couple of inches in his direction and smiledalluringly. The captain shifted uneasily; prudence counselled flight, but dignity forbade it. He stared hard at Mrs. Kingdom, and a smile ofrare appreciation on that lady's face endeavoured to fade slowly andnaturally into another expression. The chair came nearer. "Don't be foolish, " said the captain, gruffly. The chair came still nearer until at last it touched his, and then MissNugent, with a sigh of exaggerated content, allowed her head to sinkgracefully on his shoulder. "Most comfortable shoulder in Sunwich, " she murmured; "come and try theother, aunt, and perhaps you'll get a new bonnet. " [Illustration: "'Most comfortable shoulder in Sunwich, ' she murmured. "] Mrs. Kingdom hastened to reassure her brother. She would almost as soonhave thought of putting her head on the block. At the same time it wasquite evident that she was taking a mild joy in his discomfiture andeagerly awaiting further developments. "When you are tired of this childish behaviour, miss, " said the captain, stiffly---- There was a pause. "Kate!" said Mrs. Kingdom, in tones of mild reproof, how can you?" "Very good, " said the captain, we'll see who gets tired of it first. "I'min no hurry. " A delicate but unmistakable snore rose from his shoulder in reply.