"There, I told you so!" she exclaimed, on catching sight of them, with the stains of the cuttle-fish plainly visible on their clothes. "You will never wish to wear this suit again, Bob; and, dear, dear, look at your dress, Nellie!" "It's not so bad, mamma," pleaded she. "I only got a little of it." "A little of what?" "The Tyrian dye, Captain Dresser called it, from the cuttle-fish," explained Bob, who seemed to treat the matter more lightly than the spoiling of his shirt-front and jacket deserved in Mrs Strong's opinion. "It's quite classical, mother--so the Captain said when I got squelched with it." "Really, I wish Captain Dresser would not make experiments with his dyes when you two are near him," said she, very plaintively. "He hasn't to look after your clothes, as I have." Nell smiled at her mother's mistake, while Master Bob fairly screeched with laughter. "Why, it wasn't the Captain who did it," he shouted out gleefully. "It was the cuttle-fish that squirted over us." Then, on the whole story being told her, Mrs Strong exonerated the Captain. But not so Mrs Gilmour, when she learnt the history of the soles, which had been specially set aside for her and afterwards eaten. "Oh, you cormorants!" she cried, pretending to be in a great rage. "Fancy eating my soles! Did you ever hear of such a thing? Captain Dresser, I'll never forgive you!" "Don't be so hard-hearted," said he imploringly. "If you only knew how hungry we were, I'm sure you would forgive us with your usual good- nature." "I'm not so certain of that," replied she. "'Deed, and I won't." "Besides, we enjoyed them so, do you know," continued the old sailor, chuckling away at a fine rate. "Sure they were mighty fine, ma'am. The best soles I ivver ate, sure." "That makes the matter worse, you robber!" she retorted, smiling good- naturedly at his broad mimicry of her Irish pronunciation. "Why, ye're adding insult now to injury, sure." "Never mind, Polly," interposed her brother, acting as peacemaker between the two. "The Captain will show you how to cook soles properly the next time he catches any." "Yes," said Mrs Gilmour drily, "if he doesn't ate them first." "By Jove, I promise not to do that, ma'am, for I don't like 'em raw," replied the offender, keeping up the fun, and not one whit abashed by these comments on his behaviour. "Really, though, ma'am, I think you ought to forgive me now, and banish your hard feelings, as you've given me a wigging. Besides, if we did eat all the soles, I've brought you home a fine big skate, and lots of plaice, instead." "Sure, I'll consider about it," said his hostess, showing signs of relenting. "But don't you think, now, skates are rather out of place in this warm weather, eh, Captain?" CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. MISSING!