The bell was rung, and a maid appeared.
“Where’s Solly?” cried the Captain angrily.
“Plee, sir, he’s gone running up to the cliff to hoist the flag,” said the girl nervously.
“Humph! that will do,” said the Captain, and the maid gladly beat a retreat.—“Not a bad bit of discipline that, Nic. Wonder what brings Lawrence here! Ring that bell again, boy, and order them to reset the breakfast-table. He’ll be here in half-an-hour, hungry. He always was a hungry chap.”
The maid appeared, received her orders, and was about to go, when she was arrested.
“Here, Mary, what is there that can be cooked for Captain Lawrence’s breakfast?”
“The gardener has just brought in a salmon he found speared and left by the river, sir.”
The Captain turned purple with rage.
“Don’t you ever dare to say salmon to me again, woman!” he roared.
“No, sir; cert’n’y not, sir,” faltered the frightened girl, turning wonderingly to Nic, her eyes seeming to say, “Please, sir, is master going mad?”