"Oh, as if I had been his own son, sir," cried Fitz warmly; "and his boy and I have been the best of friends."
"But I say, you've been a regular young filibuster all the time, breaking the laws and helping in a revolution. Why, you've been carrying on high jinks, and no mistake! But you don't mean to tell me you want to stay with them?"
"Oh no, of course not. I want to rejoin the _Tonans_."
"Where do you say--in the Channel Service? Well, I can't take you there."
"I thought, sir, that perhaps you would put me on board some English cruiser," cried Fitz.
"And I will, of course. But it may be a month first."
"I don't mind that, sir," said Fitz, "so long as I can send a message home, for they must think I'm--"
He broke down here, for he could bear no more.
What he had thought would be all joy proved to be pain, and as he was turning away, it was with the knowledge that the American captain had read him through and through, giving him a warm pressure of the hand, and saying, just loud enough for him to hear--
"Directly I can get at the wires I'll send a message to New York, telling our people to communicate with your Admiralty, that you are alive and well."
The next minute the captain was talking with both the Reeds, and to Fitz's great satisfaction he saw that they were chatting, evidently on the most friendly terms.
As the American captain had suggested, it was nearly a month before he sailed away with Fitz on board, after a parting that made the hearts of the two lads ache, while the pressure of the skipper's hand lingered long.
But after the fashion of most boys under such circumstances they hid their emotions like men.
"I suppose," said the skipper, "I shall never have the chance to give you such a cruise again."
"No," said Fitz, laughing; "never, I should say. Good-bye, sir!
Good-bye, Poole, old chap, till next time."
"Yes," said Poole merrily. "So long!"
THE END.