CHAPTER SIX.
ON THE BEACH.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Bob presently, stopping on their way homewards at a nice-looking pastry-cook's shop hard by the dockyard- gates, whose wide green windows framed an appetising display of cakes and buns which appealed strangely to his gastronomic feelings; while a fragrant odour, as of hot mutton-pies, the speciality of the establishment, a renowned one in its way amongst middies and such like small fry who frequented the neighbourhood, oozed out from its hospitably-open door, perfuming lusciously the air around--"I am _so_ hungry!" "By Jove, my boy, so am I, too, now I think of it," said the Captain, likewise coming to a halt and proceeding to enter the shop, followed by his eager companions.

"Let us pipe down to lunch at once.

This is a famous place for pies; and you may rely on having mutton in 'em and not puppies!" The old Captain `stood treat,' of course, and the boys had such a glorious `tuck out' that they were behind time when they got back to Mrs Gilmour's house on the south parade.
"Aunt Polly" and Nellie were both ready and waiting for them outside, dressed in walking attire; while Rover was frisking round the ladies, though he darted up to his young master the moment he caught sight of him, forgetting, with all a good dog's magnanimity, the ill-treatment he had received in not being allowed to accompany him to the dockyard.
"Sure, you're very late, Captain dear," began Mrs Gilmour when the old sailor came near, with Dick following in his wake; but, suddenly noticing the latter's wonderful transformation of appearance, she stopped her laughing reproaches anent the Captain's dilatoriness, exclaiming in admiring tones--"My good gracious! Dear me! Who is this young gentleman ?" Bob was in ecstasies.
"We were sure you wouldn't know him, auntie!" he cried, as little Miss Nellie joined him in a gleesome dance of triumph round the blushing, new-fledged Dick, and Rover gambolled behind the pair, barking loudly, in sympathetic accord.

"We were sure you wouldn't know him!" "Sure, you're right, me dears, I wouldn't really have recognised him for the same boy at all, at all!" cheerfully agreed Mrs Gilmour, as she turned towards the ex-runaway and scrutinising his altered guise in detail, critically but kindly.

"Are ye, really, Dick, now ?" "Yes, mum, I bees the same b'y, surely," replied Dick, with a broad grin that spread over his face from ear to ear.