Baby Cecil was a very good child, though he was so much petted. He
gave a sigh of disappointment, but only said very gravely, "Will you
promise, _onyer-onner_, to tell me one when you come back?"

"I promise to tell you lots _when I come back_, on my honour," was my
answer.

I had to skirt the garden-hedge for a yard or two before turning off
across the meadow. In a few minutes I heard a voice on the other side.
Baby Cecil had run down the inside, and was poking his face through a
hole, and kissing both hands to me. There came into my head a wonder
whether his face would be much changed next time I saw it. I little
guessed when and how that would be. But when he cried, "Come back
_very soon_, Charlie dear," my imperfect valour utterly gave way, and
hanging my head I ran, with hot tears pouring over my face, all the
way to Johnson's wharf.

When Fred saw my face he offered to give up the idea if I felt
faint-hearted about it. Nothing that he could have said would have
dried my tears so soon. Every spark of pride in me blazed up to reject
the thought of turning craven now. Besides, I longed for a life of
adventure most sincerely; and I was soon quite happy again in the
excitement of being so near to what I had longed for.




CHAPTER VIII.

WE GO ON BOARD--THE PIE--AN EXPLOSION--MR. ROWE THE BARGE-MASTER--THE