She stopped short, and coloured.
"Only what, my darling?"
"It was I," said the Skipper, flushing, but speaking out very bravely. "I frightened her—pretended I was going to tumble into the water."
"But he didn't think it would frighten me, Pa dear," cried Dot earnestly, "or he wouldn't have done it. Would you, Bob?"
"Yes," said the boy stolidly. "Did it on purpose to frighten you."
"How dare you!" cried Captain Trevor sternly. "This is pretty discipline. Have I not always told you that a big boy ought to be kind to his sister?"
"Yes, Pa."
"And because he's strong and ugly, because he's going some day to be a man, he ought to watch over and protect her."
"Yes, Pa," said the boy, his lip quivering, as he stared past his father at the big sailor, who was scowling and shaking his head at him fiercely.
"And now I come home for a few hours, expecting to see you all as happy as can be, I find my boy—no, I can't say my boy if you behave like this—has been as naughty as ever he could be."