so, and I have
always made up my mind not to influence her in any way, providing
she didn't fix her choice upon one whose character I disapproved.
Certainly I have no reasons for so doing, in the present case. Your
character stands high in the colony; and personally, as you are
well aware, I like you exceedingly.

"What Frances' feelings in the matter are, I have no means of
knowing. There is no doubt she likes you, but as to anything more,
it is for you to find out. You will have plenty of time, between
this and Sydney. Anyhow, you have my hearty approval of your
wooing.

"I think, between ourselves you know, you must not expect, at
first, any very cordial approval on the part of her mother. She had
an idea, you know, that Frances would marry a duke at least, and an
offer from a prince of the blood would not have surprised her. It
is a great disappointment, to her, that she should have returned
unmarried; and she has already been talking to me about our
returning to England, in another couple of years. So she will not
take quite kindly to it, at first; but you mustn't mind that. Fond
of Frances as she is, she will soon come round, if she finds that
the girl's happiness is really concerned in the matter.

"Take my advice, and don't push it till we get near the end of the
voyage. If Frances says yes, she is the sort of girl to stick to
it; and as I am with you, you may be quite sure it will come right
in the long run; but we might not have a very pleasant time of it
during the remainder of the voyage, you know, and as things have
gone on so pleasantly, it would be a pity to spoil them."

Thus it was that Mr. Hudson nodded, when the young officer of the
constabulary said that his indebtedness to Reuben was equal to his
own.

"Yes," he said, "if it had been one of the sailors, I could have
set the matter right by drawing a big cheque, and I shouldn't have
cared how big; but with this young fellow I do not quite see my
way. However, I will shift the responsibility, by leaving the
matter in Frances' hands--women are much better hands at things of
this sort, that require a light touch, than we are. I do not wonder
that she and Miss Furley are shaken. I feel shaken myself. I shall
never forget that scene, and the two girls standing there, and that
wild Malay rushing at them. My legs seemed to give way under me,
and I thought I should have fallen down."

"I felt bad myself, sir," Captain Wilson said. "I have been in s