Syd Belton Part 27

"No, sir, of course not."

"Then go and put them on, and don't come down with your c.o.c.ked hat wrong way on."

Syd hesitated, feeling a little abashed, but his uncle half jumped out of his seat.

"Be off, you disobedient young dog," he roared. "If you don't want to see them, I do. There, I'll give you a quarter of an hour."

Sydney took half an hour, and then hesitated about going down-stairs.

He peeped out of his room twice, but there was always some one on the stairs, chambermaid, waiter, or guest staying in the place.

At last, though, all seemed perfectly quiet, and fixing his c.o.c.ked hat tightly on his head, and holding his dirk with one hand to keep it from swinging about and striking the bal.u.s.ters, he ran along the pa.s.sage and dashed down the stairs.

The quick movement caused his c.o.c.ked hat to come down in front over his eyes, and before he had raised it again he had run right into the arms of the stout landlady. There was a shrill scream, and the lady was seated on the mat, while by the force of the rebound Sydney was sitting on the stairs, from which post he sprang up to offer his apologies.

"You shouldn't, my dear," said the landlady, piteously, as she stretched out her hands like a gigantic baby who wanted to be helped up.

Sydney's instincts prompted him to rush on to his father's small sitting-room, but politeness and the appeal of the lady compelled him to stay; and after he had raised her to her proper perpendicular, she smiled and cast her eyes over his uniform, making the boy colour like a girl.

"Well, you do look nice," she said; "only don't knock me down again.

There, I'm not hurt. They're quite new, ain't they?"

Sydney nodded.

"I thought so, because you haven't got them on quite right."

Sydney stopped to hear no more, but ran on, checked himself, and tried to walk past three waiters in the entry with dignity.

He did not achieve this, because if he had the waiters would not have laughed and put their napkins to their mouths, on drawing back to let him pa.s.s.

"Oh, shouldn't I like to!" he thought, as he set his teeth and clenched his fists.

He felt very miserable and as if he was being made a laughing-stock; in fact his sensations were exactly those of a sensitive lad who appears in uniform for the first time; and hence he was in anything but a peaceful state of mind as he dashed into the room where his uncle was waiting, to be greeted with a roar of laughter.

"What a time you have been, sir! Why, Syd, I don't think much of your legs, and, hang it all, your belt's too loose, and they don't fit you.

Bah! you haven't half dressed yourself. Come here. Takes me back fifty years, boy, to see you like that."

"Why did you tell me to go and put them on?" cried the boy, angrily, "if you only meant to laugh at me?"

"Bah! nonsense! What do you mean, sir? Are you going to be so thin-skinned that you can't bear to be joked? Come here."

The boy stood by his side.

"I was going to show you how to take up your belt and to b.u.t.ton your waistcoat. There! that's better. Flying out like that at me because I laughed! How will you get along among your messmates, who are sure to begin roasting you as soon as you go aboard?"

"I beg your pardon, uncle. I seemed to feel so ridiculous, and everybody laughed."

"Let them. There! that's better. See how a touch or two from one who knows turns a slovenly look into one that's smart. Hallo! some one at the door, my lad; go and see. No; stop. Come in."

The door was opened, and Barney in his uniform of petty officer entered, looking smartened up into a man ten years younger than when he worked in the garden at the Heronry.

As Barney took off his hat and entered, closing the door behind him, his eyes lit first upon Syd, and his face puckered up into a broad grin.

"And now you!" cried Sydney, angrily. "Uncle, I'm not fit to wear a uniform; I look ridiculous."

"Who says so?" cried the old man, angrily. "Here you, Strake, don't stand grinning there like a corbel on an old church."

"Couldn't help it, your honour."

"There, you see, uncle."

"I don't, sir. Going to let the grin of that confounded fellow upset you? If he laughs at you again because he thinks you are a fool, show him that you're not one; knock him down."

"His honour the captain's compliments, Sir Thomas, and he'd be glad to see you on board along o' Master Sydney here."

"Is your master on board, then?"

"Ay, sir; and I've come across in the gig, as is waiting for us with one of the young gentlemen to keep the men in their places."

"Right; we'll come," said the old admiral. "Now, Syd," he whispered, "do you know why people laugh?"

"Yes, uncle, at me."

"Well, yes, my lad; so they did at me years ago. But you don't know why."

"I think I do, uncle."

"No, boy, you do not; you look as if you had got on your uniform for the first time. We're going out now, so look as if you hadn't got it on for the first time. Hold up your head, c.o.c.k your hat, and if you look at people, don't look as if you were wondering what they thought of you, but as if you were taking his weight. See?"

"Yes, uncle, I think I do. But must I go like this?"

"Confound you, sir!" growled the old man. "Why do you talk like that?"

"Because I look absurd."

"Oh, that's it, is it? Then look here, Syd, I'll prove that you don't."

"If you can prove that, uncle, I shall never mind wearing a uniform again."

"Then you need not mind, boy, for if you looked absurd I wouldn't be seen with you. Now then, hold up your head, and remember you are a king's officer. March!"

The old man gave his cane a thump, c.o.c.ked his own hat, and stamped along by the side of his nephew. Pan, who was outside waiting for his father's return, staring wide-eyed at Sydney's uniform, and then following behind with Barney, wishing he was allowed to wear a little gilded sword like that.

In this way they walked down to the boat, which lay a short distance from the landing-place, with a handsome boy in middy's uniform leaning back in the stern-sheets, and keeping strict watch on his men to keep them from yielding to the attraction of one of the public-houses, stronger than that of duty.

Barney stepped forward and hailed the boat, which was quickly rowed alongside, the c.o.xswain holding on as the admiral stepped in, followed by his nephew, who found himself directly after beside the good-looking, dark-complexioned middy, who took the helm, and gave the order to give way. The oars fell with a splash, and Sydney felt that he was at last afloat and on his way to join the frigate.

The admiral took snuff, and after a word or two with the middy in charge of the boat, sat gazing silently about him, while from time to time Sydney turned his eyes to find that his companion was examining him closely, and with a supercilious air which made the new addition to the midshipmen's mess feel irritable and ready to resent any insult.