Dialstone Lane | Page 5

birds. O' course, I couldn't help seeing in a bit, but I

always shifted the spy-glass at once if there was anything that I thought
I oughtn't--"
"That'll do," broke in the captain, hastily. "Go in and get the tea ready.
If I so much as see you looking at that glass again we part, my lad,
mind that."
"I don't suppose he meant any harm," said the mollified Mr. Chalk,
after the crestfallen Joseph had gone into the house. "I hope I haven't
been and said too much, but my wife insisted on me coming round and
speaking about it."
"You did quite right," said the captain, "and I thank you for coming. I
told him he might go up there occasionally, but I particularly warned
him against giving any annoyance to the neighbours."
"I suppose," said Mr. Chalk, gazing at the erection with interest-- "I
suppose there's a good view from up there? It's like having a ship in the
garden, and it seems to remind you of the North Pole, and whales, and
Northern Lights."
Five minutes later Mr. Tasker, peering through the pantry window, was
surprised to see Mr. Chalk ascending with infinite caution to the
crow's-nest. His high hat was jammed firmly over his brows and the
telescope was gripped tightly under his right arm. The journey was
evidently regarded as one of extreme peril by the climber; but he held
on gallantly and, arrived at the top, turned a tremulous telescope on to
the horizon.
Mr. Tasker took a deep breath and resumed his labours. He set the table,
and when the water boiled made the tea, and went down the garden to
announce the fact. Mr. Chalk was still up aloft, and even at that height
the pallor of his face was clearly discernible. It was evident to the
couple below that the terrors of the descent were too much for him, but
that he was too proud to say so.
"Nice view up there," called the captain.

"B--b--beautiful," cried Mr. Chalk, with an attempt at enthusiasm.
The captain paced up and down impatiently; his tea was getting cold,
but the forlorn figure aloft made no sign. The captain waited a little
longer, and then, laying hold of the shrouds, slowly mounted until his
head was above the platform.
"Shall I take the glass for you?" he inquired.
Mr. Chalk, clutching the edge of the cask, leaned over and handed it
down.
"My--my foot's gone to sleep," he stammered.
"Ho! Well, you must be careful how you get down," said the captain,
climbing on to the platform. "Now, gently."
He put the telescope back into the cask, and, beckoning Mr. Tasker to
ascend, took Mr. Chalk in a firm grasp and lowered him until he was
able to reach Mr. Tasker's face with his foot. After that the descent was
easy, and Mr. Chalk, reaching ground once more, spent two or three
minutes in slapping and rubing, and other remedies prescribed for
sleepy feet.
[Illustration: "He took Mr. Chalk in a firm grasp and lowered him."]
"There's few gentlemen that would have come down at all with their
foot asleep," remarked Mr. Tasker, pocketing a shilling, when the
captain's back was turned.
Mr. Chalk, still pale and shaking somewhat, smiled feebly and
followed the captain into the house. The latter offered a cup of tea,
which the visitor, after a faint protest, accepted, and taking a seat at the
table gazed in undisguised admiration at the nautical appearance of the
room.
"I could fancy myself aboard ship," he declared.
"Are you fond of the sea?" inquired the captain.

"I love it," said Mr. Chalk, fervently. "It was always my idea from a
boy to go to sea, but somehow I didn't. I went into my father's business
instead, but I never liked it. Some people are fond of a stay-at-home life,
but I always had a hankering after adventures."
The captain shook his head. "Ha!" he said, impressively.
"You've had a few in your time," said Mr. Chalk, looking at him,
grudgingly; "Edward Tredgold was telling me so."
"Man and boy, I was at sea forty-nine years," remarked the captain.
"Naturally things happened in that time; it would have been odd if they
hadn't. It's all in a lifetime."
"Some lifetimes," said Mr. Chalk, gloomily. "I'm fifty-one next year,
and the only thing I ever had happen to me was seeing a man stop a
runaway horse and cart."
He shook his head solemnly over his monotonous career, and, gazing at
a war-club from Samoa which hung over the fireplace, put a few
leading questions to the captain concerning the manner in which it
came into his possession. When Prudence came in half an hour later he
was still sitting there, listening with rapt attention to