"Seems clearer, eh?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Feel feverish?"

"No, uncle, I think not. I'm hardly awake yet."

"I know, my lad. You got a good deal knocked about, then?"

"I don't quite know, uncle. I suppose so. It all seems very dreamy now."

"Consequence of injury to the head. Soldiers are in that condition sometimes after a blow from the b.u.t.t end of a musket."

"Are they, uncle?" asked Aleck, who was half ready to believe that this was all part of his dream.

The captain nodded, and sat silent for a few moments, before glancing at the bundle, hat, and cane. Then--

"So you've been making up your mind to run away?"

"To go away, uncle; not run."

"Hah! Same thing, my lad."

"No, uncle."

"What! Don't contradict me, sir. Do you want to quarrel again?"

"No, uncle."

"Humph! You prepared those things for running away?"

"I had some such ideas, uncle, when I tied them up," said the lad, firmly; "but I should not have done that."

"Indeed! Then why did you tie them up?"

"To go away, uncle."

"Well, that's what I said, sir."

"That was not quite correct, uncle. If I ran away it would have been without telling you."

"Of course, and that's what you meant to do."

"No, uncle; I feel now that I could not have done that. I should have come to you in the morning to tell you that I felt as if I should be better away, and that I would go to sea at once."

"Humph! And if you went away, sir, what's to become of me?"

"I don't know, uncle, only I feel that you'd be better without such an obstinate, disobedient fellow as I am."

"Oh, you think so, do you? Well, you shouldn't be obstinate then."

"I didn't mean to be, uncle."

"Then, why, in the name of all that's sensible, were you? Why didn't you tell me why you fought and got in such a state?"

"I felt that I couldn't tell you, uncle."

"Why not, sir--why not?"

Aleck was silent once more.

"There you are, you see. As stubborn as a mule."

"No, I'm not, uncle."

"Now, look here, Aleck; I couldn't go to bed without trying to make peace between us. Don't contradict me, sir. I say you are stubborn.

There, I'll give you one more chance. Now, then, why did you fight those lads?"

"Don't ask me, uncle, please. I can't tell you."

"But I do ask you, and I will know. Now, sir, why was it? For I'm sure there was some blackguardly reason. Now, then, speak out, or--or--or--I vow I'll never be friends with you again."

"Don't ask me, uncle."

"Once more, I will ask you, sir. Why was it?"

"Because--" began Aleck, and stopped.

"Well, sir--because?" raged out the old man. "Speak, sir. You are my sister's son. I have behaved to you since she died like a father. I am in the place of your father, and I command you to speak."

"Well, uncle, it was because they spoke about you," said the lad, at last, desperately.

"Eh? Ah! Humph!" said the old man, with his florid face growing clay-coloured. "They spoke ill of me, then?"

"Yes, uncle."

"About my past--past life, eh?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Humph! What did they say?"

"Uncle, pray don't ask me," pleaded Aleck.

"Humph! I know. Said I was disgraced and turned out of my regiment, eh? For cowardice?"

"Yes, uncle."

"And you said it wasn't true?"