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The next to emerge was my friend of the splendid torso, handcuffed and fettered. When he, too, lurched and fell, I became aware for the first time that the frigate was rocking on a gentle south-westerly swell, and I turned to the bulwarks for a glance overside at the water which, up to an hour ago, had been smooth as a pond. I had scarcely reached the bulwarks when a voice forward sang out that a boat was approaching and hailing us.

Sure enough, a boat there was: and in the stern-sheets, with a couple of watermen pulling, sat two men of whom the portliss was promptly and confidently proclaimed by the midshipmen gathered around me to be no other than His Excellency.

The boat approached and fell alongside the ladder suspended a few yards aft of the ship’s waist. The first lieutenant, having sent word to the Captain, hurried forward to receive our distinguished guest, who climbed heavily on his Secretary’s arm. Arriving thus at the sally-way, he nodded graciously in answer to the first lieutenant’s salute, pulled out a handkerchief to mop his brow, and in the act of mopping it cast a glance across the deck.

“Captain Suckling has asked me to present his excuses to your Excellency–” began the first lieutenant in his best tone of ceremony; and, with that, took a step backward as His Excellency flung out a rigid arm.

“The Dustman! for a fiver!”

“I–I beg your Excellency’s pardon–your Excellency was pleased to observe–“

“The Dustman, for a hundred pounds! Jem Clark, too! Oh, catch me, Winyates!” and His Excellency staggered back, clutching at a man-rope with one hand, pointing with the other. His gaze wavered from the prisoners amidships to the first lieutenant, and from the first lieutenant to the poop-ladder, at the head of which Captain Suckling at this instant appeared, hastily buttoning his uniform coat as he came.

“A thousand pardons, your Excellency!”

“A thousand pounds, sir!”

“Hey?”

“If that’s not the very pair of scoundrels I’ve been hunting the length and breadth of Hampshire. Fareham was the venue, Captain Suckling–if I am addressing Captain Suckling–“

“You are, sir. I–I think you said Fareham–“

“I did, sir. I don’t mind confessing to you–here on the point of departing from England–that I admire the noble art, sir: so much so that I have wasted a whole day in the neighbourhood of Fareham, hunting for a prize-fight which never came off.”

“But–but I don’t mind confessing to your Excellency,” gasped Captain Suckling, “that I too have been at Fareham and have–er–met with the same disappointment.”

“Disappointment, sir! When you have kidnapped the scoundrels–when you have them on board at this moment!” Sir John pointing a shaking forefinger again at the pressed men.

Captain Suckling stared in the direction where the finger pointed. “You don’t mean to tell me–” he began weakly, addressing the first lieutenant.

“Mr. Fraser brought them aboard, sir,” said the first lieutenant.

“And we’ll have the law of you for it,” promised the man in the pearl buttons from amidships, but in a weakening voice.

Captain Suckling was what they call an officer and a gentleman. He drew himself up at once.

“In my absence my officers appear to have made a small mistake. But I hope your Excellency may not be disappointed after all. I have never set eyes on either of these men before, but if that naked man be the Dustman I will put up a hundred pounds upon him, here and now; or on the other if that runs counter to your Excellency’s fancy–“

“Jem Clark’s my man,” said Sir John. “I’ll match your stake, sir.”

“–And liberty for all if they show a decent fight, and a boat to set them ashore,” went on Captain Suckling. “Is that a fair offer, my men?”

The man in the pearl buttons raised his head to answer for the two pugilists, who by this time were totally incapable of answering for themselves. He showed pluck, too; for his face shone with the colour of pale marble.