"That's my answer to your question just now." "But you promised us, Captain," cried Nellie, taking up the cudgels now that poor Bob was routed so ignominiously.

"You know you did, sir-- didn't he, auntie?
And the `to-morrow' you meant was a long time back, before the storm and everything!" "Then I'm afraid, Miss Nellie," he replied, making for the door, so as to secure his retreat, "it must be a very stale one; a sort of `to- morrow' I wouldn't have, if I were you, at any price!" Nellie was not to be beaten so easily, so she followed him out into the hall as he was leaving the house.
"Do tell me, dear Captain," she pleaded earnestly.

"Do tell me what this wonderful something is that you have in store for us." "I will, my dear," replied the old sailor, succeeding by a dexterous twist in releasing the lapel of his coat from her restraining hand.

"I will, my dear.

I'll whisper it to you--I will tell you to-morrow!" With this he skipped down the steps as nimbly as a two-year-old, slamming the gate behind him to secure his retreat; and Nellie could hear his hearty "Ho-ho!" as he went along the parade towards Portsmouth.
"What a tiresome man the Captain is!" she exclaimed petulantly, on returning to the drawing-room, where Mrs Gilmour had remained with Bob.
"It is always `to-morrow,' and `to-morrow,' and `to-morrow'; and when the `to-morrow' comes, he never tells us anything!" "Fie, Nellie, you must not be impatient, my dear," said her aunt, on hearing this outburst.