Syd Belton Part 22

"Yes, yes, never mind now," said the captain. "I sent for you about this lad."

"Oh, Master Syd, sir, say a word for me," cried the boy, piteously.

"Father would ha' whacked me if I hadn't run away; then you whacked me when I did; and now I'm to be whacked again. Wish I was dead, I do."

"Eh! eh! what's that?" cried Captain Belton. "You thrashed him, Sydney; what for?"

"Well, father, we did have a little misunderstanding," said Sydney, composedly.

"It was 'cause I wouldn't come back, sir; that's it, sir," whimpered Pan. "I knowd father had made the rope's-end ready for me, and he had."

"What's that?" said the captain. "I said you were not to be flogged until you had been tried."

"Well, your honour, orders it was, and I didn't lay it on him," growled Barney.

"No; but you laid it across me in bed, and you kep' on showing of it to me, and you said that was my supper, and my breakfa.s.s, and--and--I wish I hadn't come back, I do."

"Is this true, Strake?"

"Well, your honour, I s'pose it's about it," said the boatswain. "I 'member showing of it to him once or twyste."

"He's got it in his pocket now, sir," cried Pan.

"Ay, ay. That's a true word, lad."

"Let's see," said Sir Thomas, in magisterial tones.

Barney fumbled unwillingly in his pocket, and drew out a piece of rope about two feet long, well whipped round at the ends with twine.

"Humph!" said Sir Thomas, taking the instrument of torture. "So that's what you flog him with."

"Well, your honour, meant to make a man of him."

"Arn't yer going to speak a word for me, Master Syd?" whispered Pan.

"Silence, sir!" said the captain. "Now look here: you ran away from your service, and from your father's house. Then, I suppose, you tried to persuade my son to go with you."

Pan looked up reproachfully at Sydney.

"I wouldn't ha' told o' you, Master Syd. But I don't care now. Yes; I wanted him to _come_."

"Well, I'm glad you spoke the truth; but your companion did not tell tales of you. Now, look here, sir: I suppose you know you've behaved like an ungrateful young scoundrel?"

"Yes, sir," whimpered Pan.

"And you know you deserve to be flogged?"

"Yes, sir, and I want it over; it's like all flogging, and wuss, for him to keep on showing me that there rope's-end."

"Better pipe all hands to punishment, bo'sun," said Sir Thomas.

"Ay, ay, sir," said Barney, thrusting his hand in his breast; and bringing out a silver whistle attached to his neck by a black ribbon, he put it to his lips.

"No, no," cried the captain, "we're not aboard s.h.i.+p now. I wish we were," he added, "eh?"

Sir Thomas nodded.

"Well, sir," continued the captain, "are you ready to take your flogging?"

"Yes, sir," said Pan, dolefully.

"And what will you say if I forgive you?"

"And make him forgive me too, sir?" cried Pan, nodding his head sideways at his father.

"Yes, my lad."

"Anything, sir. There, I'll never run away agen."

"Will you be a good, obedient lad, and do as your father wishes you, and go to sea?"

"No," said Pan, stolidly, "I won't."

"Humph! what are we to say to this, Sir Thomas?"

"Say?--that he's a cowardly young swab."

"Ay, ay, sir; that's it," cried Barney.

"Silence, sir. Look here, boy; we'll give you another chance. Will you go to sea?"

The boy shook his head.

"What! not with my son?"

"What!" cried Barney, excitedly. "Master Syd going?"

"Yes, Barney," cried the boy. "I'm going to be a sailor after all."

The ex-boatswain showed every tooth in his head in a broad grin, slapped one hand down on the other, and cried in a gruff voice--

"Dear lad! There, your honours! The right stuff in him arter all.

Can't you get me s.h.i.+pped in the same craft with him, Sir Thomas? I'm as tough as ratline hemp still."

"You going to sea, Master Syd?" said Pan, looking at the companion of his flight wonderingly.

"Yes, Pan; at once. Will you come?"

"Course I will, sir," cried Pan. "Going to-day?"