Charles Rex | Page 8

was standing before him, facing him with straight, candid eyes.
He did not seem surprised at the suggestion so coolly made. Saltash
noted that it certainly did not shock him.
"All right, sir," he said, after a moment.
"It's a promise, is it?" said Saltash.
Toby nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Good!" said Saltash. He stretched out a hand and took him by one
skinny arm. "Better now?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord." Toby's eyes smiling into
his.
"Very well. I'll keep you," Saltash said. "Did anyone see you come
aboard?"
"No, my lord."
"Then you came with me, see? I brought you--if anyone wants to
know."
"Very good, my lord. Thank you, my lord."
Saltash made a humorous grimace. "You can call me 'sir' if you like,"
he said. "It makes no difference."

"Thank you, sir," said Toby with a responsive grin.
"And your name is Toby, is it? Toby what?"
"Toby Wright, sir." Very promptly the answer came.
Saltash's eyes scrutinized him with half derisive amusement. "I hope it's
a good fit," he remarked. "Well, look here, Toby, you must go to bed.
Did you bring any luggage on board?"
"No, sir. 'Fraid not, sir. Very sorry, sir. I came away in a hurry,"
explained Toby rather nervously.
"And stole the hotel livery," said Saltash.
"No, sir. Borrowed it," said Toby.
"Ho! You're going to pay for it, are you?" questioned Saltash.
"Yes, sir, some day. First money I get, sir. Don't want to have anything
belonging to that damn' Italian cur," said Toby, with much emphasis.
"Naughty! Naughty!" said Saltash, pinching his arm. "Well, come
along, and I'll show you where you can sleep. There's a small cabin out
of my dressing-room you can have for the present. I haven't got my
valet on board."
"Very good, sir, thank you. What time shall I call you, sir?" said Toby
brightly.
"You needn't call me," said Saltash. "You can just lie quiet and take
care of that black eye of yours. I'll let you know when I want you."
"Very good, sir," said Toby, looking crestfallen.
Saltash stood up. "And you'll do as you're told--see?--always! That's
understood, is it?"
Toby smiled again, eagerly, gratefully. "Yes, sir. Always, sir!" he said

promptly. "Shall I take off your boots before I go, sir?"
"No. Look after yourself for the present!" said Saltash. "And don't get
up to mischief! There's a strict captain in command of this boat, so
you'd better mind how you go."
The boy looked up at him with eyes of twinkling comprehension. He
had plainly forgotten the despair that had so nearly overwhelmed him.
"Oh, I'll be very good, sir," he promised. "I won't get you into trouble
anyhow, sir."
"You--imp!" said Saltash, pulling his ear. "Think I'll put up with your
impudence, do you? You'll play that game once too often if you're not
careful."
Toby hastened to adjust his features to a becoming expression of
gravity. "I won't, sir. No, I won't. I'll be a good servant to you--the best
you've ever had. I'll never forget your goodness to me, and I'll pay back
somehow--that I will, sir."
His boyish voice suddenly throbbed with emotion, and he stopped.
Again for a moment he had the forlorn look of a small animal astray
from its own.
Saltash patted his shoulder kindly. "All right. That'll do. Don't be tragic
about it! Come along to your burrow and have a good square sleep!"
He led him away without further words, and Toby went, gratefully and
submissively.
A few minutes later Saltash came back with a smile on his ugly face,
half-quizzical, and half-compassionate.
"Rum little devil!" he commented again as he began to undress. "So the
gods had a gift for me after all! Wonder what I shall do with it!"
And then abruptly the smile became a mocking grimace that banished
all the kindliness from his face. He snapped his fingers and laughed as

he had laughed a little earlier when his cigarette had fallen into the
water with a sound like the hiss of a serpent.
"I--wonder!" he said again.

CHAPTER IV
TOBY
It was contrary to Captain Larpent's habit to show surprise at any time,
whatever the caprices of his patron, but he did look at Saltash
somewhat harder than usual when the latter informed him in his breezy
fashion of the unexpected addition to the yacht's company. He also
frowned a little and smoothed his beard as though momentarily
puzzled.
"You won't want to be bothered with him," he said after brief reflection.
"Better let him sleep in the forecastle."
"Not for the present," said Saltash. "I am going to train him, and I'll
keep him under my own eye. The little beggar has had a pretty rough
time of it to