'Oh no; your friends fed me well before turning me over to the hangman.'
'Don't call them my friends,' protested George. 'I would——'
'Oh! Then you are not a Pakeha-Maori?' put in Terence, with an air of great simplicity.
'You are yourself again, I see,' said George, laughing. 'Fill your pipe and let me hear your adventures.'
'I have had none until to-day,' began Terence. 'Colonel Cranstoun was very kind to me on board; but he and Horn kept me at it with never-ending drill. By the way, the colonel expressed his regret that he had packed you off in the tug.'
'No! Surely not?' George grinned.
'Yes. He pulled his long moustache, and observed: "I should have done better to keep the young scapegrace under my own eye."'
'You humbug!' laughed George. 'Go on.'
'He is a fine old fellow, George. On the third day out we met a Sydney-bound brig, which hove to, and the colonel sent a letter to your father. You saw it, no doubt.'
'No; but I am glad he wrote it. I started on your trail next morning.'