His heart was not in the business, and as he smote the narrow bent back it cried shame on him.

Toby made no sound, but at the third stroke he winced, and Saltash with a terrific oath in French hurled his switch violently at the opposite wall.
"There! Don't do it again!" he said, and swung him round to face him.
"Sorry?
What ?" Then he saw that Toby was crying, and abruptly let him go, striding out through the dining-saloon and up the companion-way, swearing strange oaths in varied languages as he went.
He was openly rude to Larpent when the latter sauntered up for a word with him a little later, but Larpent, knowing him, merely hunched his shoulders as his custom was and sauntered away again.
When Saltash went down to dress for dinner, he found his clothes laid out as usual, but no Toby in attendance.

His first impulse was to look for him, but he checked it and dressed in solitude.

This thing must be conducted in the approved judicial manner at all costs.
Larpent was stolidly awaiting him in the saloon, and they sat down together.

Usually Toby stood behind his master's chair, and the vacant place oppressed Saltash.