t have detained you so long?"

"Truly no," replied Oliver; "I had a rencontre--a sort of adventure with
fishermen, which--"

"Fishermen!" exclaimed Mr Donnithorne in surprise; "are ye sure they
were not smugglers--eh?"

"They said they were fishermen, and they looked like such," replied
Oliver; "but my adventure with them, whatever they were, was the cause
of my detention, and I can only express my grief that the circumstance
has incommoded your household, but, you see, it took some time to beat
off the boat's crew, and then I had to examine a wound and extract--"

"What say you, boy!" exclaimed Mr Donnithorne, frowning, "beat off a
boat's crew--examine a wound! Why, Rose, Molly, come hither. Here we
have a young gallant who hath begun life in the far west in good style;
but hold, here comes my excellent friend Captain Dan, who is no friend
to the smugglers; he is to sup with us to-night; so we will repress our
curiosity till after supper. Let me introduce you, Oliver to my wife,
your Aunt Molly, or, if you choose to be respectful, Aunt Mary."

As he spoke, a fat, fair, motherly-looking lady of about five-and-forty
entered the room, greeting her husband with a rebuke, and her nephew
with a smile.

"Never mind him, Oliver," said the good lady; "he is a vile old
creature. I have heard all about your meeting with him this forenoon,
and only wish I had been there to see it."

"Listen to that now, Captain Dan," cried Mr Donnithorne, as the
individual addressed entered the room; "my wife calls me--me, a staid,
sober man of fifty-five--calls me a vile old creature. Is it not too
bad? really one gets no credit nowadays for devoting oneself entirely to
one's better half; but I forget: allow me to introduce you to my nephew,
Oliver Trembath, just come from one of the Northern Universities to
fight the smugglers of St. Just--of which more anon. Oliver, Captain
Hoskin of Botallack, better known as Captain Dan. Now, sit down and
let's have a bit of supper."

With hospitable urgency Mr Donnithorne and his good dame pressed their
guests to do justice to the fare set before them, and, during the course
of the meal, the former kept up a running fire of question, comment, and
reply on every conceivable subject, so that his auditors required to do
little more than eat and listen. After supper, however, and when
tumblers and glasses were being put down, he gave the others an
opportunity of leading the conversation.

"Now