ng like Captain Staunton; I'm no hand at a piano, but I can sing,
and I know a recitation or two which I think may serve to raise a good-
humoured laugh."

"I'm no singer," said Brook, "but I know a few rather taking conjuring
tricks, and I should like to go with you; but perhaps it would be hardly
prudent to leave the ladies without any protection, would it? Therefore
I think I'll remain to-night, and go some other evening if there's going
to be any repetition of this sort of thing."

Mr Dale said nothing; he simply sat moodily plucking at his beard and
muttering to himself; by the look of his countenance he was utterly
disgusted with the whole proceeding.

Thus, then, it was finally arranged, and at a few minutes before eight
o'clock, Lance and his party issued from the hut on their way to the
assembly-room, which they could see was already brilliantly lighted up.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

RALLI EXPLAINS HIMSELF; SO DOES LANCE.

On entering the assembly-room, our friends found that it was not only,
as they had seen from the outside, well lighted, but that a very
successful attempt had been made to decorate it by the draping of flags
all round the walls, and the arrangement of an elaborate and well-
designed flag-trophy on the wall at the back of the elevated platform,
or stage, as it may be called. The long table, with its accompaniment
of chairs, had been pushed back against the wall, and the pianoforte
stood in the centre of the platform. The room was quite full, and the
men appeared, for the most part, disposed to behave quietly and
decorously. There were only some half a dozen young fellows who seemed
at all inclined to be noisy or boisterous, and they occupied seats in
the centre of the room. Johnson occupied a chair on one side of the
platform, and Ralli balanced him on the opposite side. Johnson appeared
rather surprised to see _four_ of the _Galatea_ party put in an
appearance instead of one only; but he made no remark, merely waving
them to accommodate themselves with chairs from those placed against the
wall.

"I am rather better than my word, you see," observed Lance to him as the
four friends stepped upon the platform.

"I promised to do what I could in the way of furnishing your people with
a little entertainment to-night, and I have brought three volunteers
with me, which will enable us to infuse into the proceedings a little
more variety than I could hope to impart to them alone."

"So mu