This, with a half-apologetic air, as if to deprecate its smallness, I produced from my pocket and handed to him.

He snatched it without a word, and ate it ravenously, keeping his eye fixed upon me in the most embarrassing way.
"Got any more ?" I was obliged to confess I had not, though sorely afraid of displeasing him.

He turned still further towards me, and stared without a word, then suddenly spoke again.
"What is your name ?" Truly this man had the strangest manner of questioning.

However, I answered him duly-- "Jasper Trenoweth." "God in heaven! What ?" He had started forward, and was staring at me with a wild surprise.
Unable to comprehend why my name should have this effect on him, but hopeless of understanding this extraordinary man's behaviour, I repeated the two words.
His face had turned to an ashy white, but he slowly took his eyes off me and turned them upon the sea, almost as though afraid to meet mine.

There was a pause.
"Father by any chance answering to the name of Ezekiel--Ezekiel Trenoweth ?" Even in my fright I can remember being struck with this strange way of speaking, as though my father were a dog; but a new fear had gained possession of me.