Toby hastened to adjust his features to a becoming expression of gravity.  “I won’t, sir.  No, I won’t.  I’ll be a good servant to you—­the best you’ve ever had.  I’ll never forget your goodness to me, and I’ll pay back somehow—­that I will, sir.”

His boyish voice suddenly throbbed with emotion, and he stopped.  Again for a moment he had the forlorn look of a small animal astray from its own.

Saltash patted his shoulder kindly.  “All right.  That’ll do.  Don’t be tragic about it!  Come along to your burrow and have a good square sleep!”

He led him away without further words, and Toby went, gratefully and submissively.

A few minutes later Saltash came back with a smile on his ugly face, half-quizzical, and half-compassionate.

“Rum little devil!” he commented again as he began to undress.  “So the gods had a gift for me after all!  Wonder what I shall do with it!”

And then abruptly the smile became a mocking grimace that banished all the kindliness from his face.  He snapped his fingers and laughed as he had laughed a little earlier when his cigarette had fallen into the water with a sound like the hiss of a serpent.

“I—­wonder!” he said again.

CHAPTER IV

TOBY

It was contrary to Captain Larpent’s habit to show surprise at any time, whatever the caprices of his patron, but he did look at Saltash somewhat harder than usual when the latter informed him in his breezy fashion of the unexpected addition to the yacht’s company.  He also frowned a little and smoothed his beard as though momentarily puzzled.

“You won’t want to be bothered with him,” he said after brief reflection.  “Better let him sleep in the forecastle.”

“Not for the present,” said Saltash.  “I am going to train him, and I’ll keep him under my own eye.  The little beggar has had a pretty rough time of it to judge by appearances.  I’ve a fancy for looking after him myself.”

“What are you going to make of him?” asked Larpent.

Saltash laughed carelessly, flicking the ash from his cigarette.  “I’ll tell you that when I can show you the finished article.  I’m keeping him below for the present.  He’s got a prize-fighter’s eye which is not exactly an ornament.  Like to have a look at him?  You’re ship’s doctor.”

Larpent shrugged his shoulders.  “P’raps I’d better.  I’m not over-keen on sudden importations.  You never know what they may bring aboard with them.”

Saltash’s eyes gleamed mischievously.  “Better inoculate the whole crew at once!  He’s more like a stray spaniel than anything else.”

“A King Charles!” suggested Larpent, with the flicker of an eyelid.  “Well, my lord, let’s have a look at your latest find!”

They went below, Saltash whistling a careless air.  He was usually in high spirits when not suffering from boredom.