"
"All which means that you don't mean to tell me anything about it,
Master Cyril. Well, then, you may consider yourself in my black books
altogether," she said petulantly.
"I am sorry that you should say so," he said. "If it were true that
anything that I had said to him had ruffled him, it would be for him
to tell you, and not for me."
"Methinks I have treated Robert Ashford scurvily, and I shall take
him for my escort to see His Majesty attend service at St. Paul's
to-morrow."
Cyril smiled.
"I think it would be fair to give him a turn, Mistress, and I am glad
to see that you have such a kind thought."
Nellie rose indignantly, and taking her work sat down by the side of
her mother.
"It is a fine evening," Cyril said to Captain Dave, "and I think I
shall take a walk round. I shall return in an hour."
The Captain understood, by a glance Cyril gave him, that he was going
out for some purpose connected with the matter they had in hand.
"Ay, ay, lad," he said. "It is not good for you to be sitting moping
at home every evening. I have often wondered before that you did not
take a walk on deck before you turned in. I always used to do so
myself."
"I don't think there is any moping in it, Captain Dave," Cyril said,
with a laugh. "If you knew how pleasant the evenings have been to me
after the life I lived before, you would not say so."
Cyril's only object in going out, however, was to avoid the necessity
of having to talk with Dame Dowsett and Nellie.
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