ome remarks she made I doubted whether such was the
case. She at once entered into conversation without the slightest
bashfulness; and it struck me that she was exerting herself, not so much
to entertain us, as to keep up Mrs Hudson's spirits.

The meal did not occupy much time, so that we had but little opportunity
of talking. I thought the young lady's voice very sweet and melodious;
indeed, she seemed to me the most perfect being I had ever seen. But
then, it must be remembered, I was but a midshipman, and my experience
was not very extensive; and the best part of a year had passed since we
left England.

At last, however, Mudge, pulling out his watch, observed that it was
time to be on board again; so getting up, he wished Mrs Hudson and the
young lady good-bye in his hearty way, and I was compelled to follow his
example. Tears came into Mrs Hudson's eyes as she took me by the hand
and murmured, "May Heaven preserve you from the dangers of the sea!"
The young lady smiled very sweetly, and I could not help wishing that I
might have the opportunity of paying another visit to the _Hopewell_.

The first mate had accompanied me on deck, where I found the master
talking to Mudge. I therefore went a little way along the deck to
summon our boat's crew, who were with the men forward.

"Mrs Hudson appears to be very melancholy," I observed to my companion.

"She has reason to be so, poor lady," said the mate. "She has never got
over the loss of her only child, in these seas, some years ago. It was
a sad affair, for he was a fine brave little chap, the pet of all hands.
The master's, and my boat, and the second mate's, had gone off in chase
of whales, when another fish was seen spouting in an opposite direction.
The third mate's boat was lowered, when the little fellow, whose mother
was ill below, asked to be taken. The third mate, instead of refusing,
thoughtlessly consented to let him go; and before the boatswain or any
one else who had sense in his head saw what he was doing, he had carried
him down into the boat; no one on deck, indeed, knew he had gone. Away
pulled the boat, when the look-out at the mast-head shouted that one of
our boats had struck a fish, and the boatswain accordingly made sail
towards her. The whale, however, darted away, towing the boats for a
league or more farther off, and we then had a hard matter to kill it.
It had long been dark before we got alongside, by which time the weather
had