"No--o!"
"You say your father is rich, you have a good home. Were you not happy there?"
"Ye--es!"
"Seriously, then, what did you propose to yourself to do when you ran away?"
"I--I don't know."
"Did you propose to yourself a life like mine?"
Bertie shuddered. He shrank away from the man in front of him with an air of invincible repugnance.
"Answer me! Look me in the face and answer me. I have a taste for learning the opinions of my fellow-men, and you are something original in boys. Tell me, what is your candid opinion of myself? What do you think of me?"
Bertie looked up as he was bidden. There was in his face something of his old bull-dog look. Something of his old courage had come back again, and on his countenance was the answer ready written. But the captain meant to have the answer in plain words.
"Speak! you're not moonstruck, are you? Tell me what you think of me?"