still standing--a squat, fantastic figure like a goblin out of a
fairy-tale--outlined against the shining sea behind him, a blot
upon the blue.

Again she waved to him and he lifted one of his long arms and saluted her
again in answer--stood at the salute till she turned away.

"Poor boy!" she murmured compassionately. "Poor ruined child! Columbus,
we must be kind to him."

And Columbus looked up with knowing little eyes and wagged a smiling
tail. He had taken to the lad himself.




CHAPTER II

SACRIFICE


"Lor' bless you!" said Mrs. Rickett. "There's some folks as thinks young
Robin is the plague of the neighbourhood, but there ain't no harm in the
lad if he's let alone. It's when them little varmints of village boys,
sets on to him and teases him as he ain't safe. But let him be, and he's
as quiet as a lamb. O' course if they great hulking fools on the shore
goes and takes him into The Three Tuns, you can't expect him to behave
respectable. But as I always says, let him alone and there's no vice in
him. Why, I've seen him go away into a corner and cry like a baby at a
sharp word from his brother Dick. He sets such store by him."