ed. Of course I can tell nothing
about it until I see them opened. At any rate it will give me
occupation, and I should say a good paying occupation, for some time."

"I suppose you got that letter, father, that I sent from Constantinople,
from Mr. Muller?"

"Yes, and a very satisfactory one it was. It reconciled me to some
extent to staying here. It was not pleasant to think that one was living
upon one's capital, but I found from his statement that my share of the
business he was doing would fully cover my expenses here. And now, let
us hear something more about your doings. Your letter from
Constantinople told us about your adventures in Egypt; then we had one
written the day after the French had retreated from before Acre, and the
one that we received from Smyrna two months since; but that was a short
one, and beyond saying that you had been very lucky in capturing and
destroying a number of pirates, and that you were enjoying your cruise
very much, you did not give us any detail. You may as well tell us that
part first."

Early in the afternoon Wilkinson arrived. As Edgar had spoken warmly of
his kindness to him when he had first joined the _Tigre_, and of the
friendship that had sprung up between them, he was very cordially
received by Mr. and Mrs. Blagrove. The former was well pleased when he
heard the details of the interview with the president of the prize
court, and said that he would go up and see him in the morning.

"I will hire a warehouse for a month or two," he said. "It will be much
more satisfactory than working in a place where a lot of other business
is being transacted. The bales will all have to be opened and examined,
the goods classed and assorted, and I shall have to bring people down
there to examine them. The expense will be nothing in comparison to the
advantage of having a quiet place to one's self."

On the following morning Mr. Blagrove went up and had a very
satisfactory talk with the president of the prize court. The _Suzanne_
arrived four days later, having made a fast run from Portsmouth. By that
time Mr. Blagrove had engaged a warehouse, where, in a short time, the
whole of the goods of which he was to dispose were safely stored.
Wilkinson went down on the day after his arrival to his people in
Devonshire, and Edgar established himself as assistant to his father. As
bale after bale was opened, the latter was astonished at the beauty and
value of some of the contents. A few only o