"Two—on a footing of ease and indolence. I soon lost——"
"Your leg," said Throgton. "Mr. Kelly, pray come to the essential things."
"I will," said the sailor. "Gentlemen, bad as I was, I was not altogether bad."
"Of course not," said Kent and Throgton soothingly. "Probably not more than ninety per cent."
"Even into my life, gentlemen, love entered. If you had seen her you would have known that she is as innocent as the driven snow. Three years ago she came to my uncle's house. I loved her. One day, hardly knowing what I was doing, I took her——" he paused.
"Yes, yes," said Throgton and Kent, "you took her?"
"To the Aquarium. My uncle heard of it. There was a violent quarrel. He disinherited me and drove me from the house. I had a liking for the sea from a boy."
"Excuse me," said Kent, "from what boy?"
Kelly went right on. "I ran away as a sailor before the mast."
"Pardon me," interrupted Kent, "I am not used to sea terms. Why didn't you run behind the mast?"