as expressed, if they appeared
more acute or more amusing than might have been expected,--no angry
contempt betrayed itself if they spoke foolishly, unless it were
something positively wrong; and thus Major Graham and Lady Harriet
succeeded in making that very difficult transition from treating
children as toys, to becoming their confidential friends, and most
trusted, as well as most respected and beloved associates.

Frank had been upwards of five years cruizing on various stations
abroad, and many officers who had seen him, gave such agreeable reports
to Major Graham of his admirable conduct on several occasions, and of
his having turned out so extremely handsome and pleasing, that Lady
Harriet often wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she might
live to see him once again, though her own daily increasing infirmities
rendered that hope every hour more improbable. She was told that he
spoke of her very frequently, and said once when he met an aged person
at the Cape, "I would give all I possess on earth, and ten times more,
if I had it, to see my dear grandmother as well, and to meet her once
more." This deeply affected Lady Harriet, who was speaking one day with
unusual earnestness of the comfort it gave, whatever might be the will
of Providence in respect to herself, that Frank seemed so happy, and
liked his profession so well, when the door flew open, and Andrew
hastened into the room, his old face perfectly wrinkled with delight,
while he displayed a letter in his hand, saying in a tone of breathless
agitation, as he delivered it to Major Graham, "The post-mark is
Portsmouth, Sir!"

Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an exclamation of joy, but
unable for the exertion, she sunk back, covering her face with her
hands, and listening in speechless suspense to hear whether Frank had
indeed returned. Harry and Laura eagerly looked over Major Graham's
shoulder, and Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this welcome
letter was hurriedly torn open and read. The direction was certainly
Frank's writing, though it seemed very different from usual, but the
contents filled Major Graham with a degree of consternation and alarm,
which he vainly endeavoured to conceal, for it informed him that, during
a desperate engagement with some slave-ships off the coast of Africa,
Frank had been most severely wounded, from which he scarcely recovered
before a violent attack of fever reduced him so extremely, that