BROTHER--I think you will be glad to hear that I am returned,
without any commission as yet; without any wounds or glory; but,--at any
rate, alive and harty. On board our ship, we were almost as crowded as
poor Mr. Holwell and his friends in their Black Hole at Calicutta. We
had rough weather, and some of the gentlemen volunteers, who prefer
smooth water, grumbled not a little. My gentlemen's stomachs are dainty;
and after Braund's cookery and White's kick-shaws, they don't like plain
sailor's rum and bisket. But I, who have been at sea before, took my
rations and can of flip very contentedly: being determined to put a good
face on everything before our fine English macaronis, and show that a
Virginia gentleman is as good as the best of 'em. I wish, for the honour
of old Virginia, that I had more to brag about. But all I can say in
truth is, that we have been to France and come back again. Why, I don't
think even your tragick pen could make anything of such a campaign as
ours has been. We landed on the 6 at Cancalle Bay, we saw a few dragons
on a hill...'

"There! Did I not tell you there were dragons?" asks George, laughing.

"Mercy! What can he mean by dragons?" cries Hetty.

"Immense, long-tailed monsters, with steel scales on their backs, who
vomit fire, and gobble up a virgin a day. Haven't you read about them in
The Seven Champions?" says papa. "Seeing St. George's flag, I suppose,
they slunk off."

"I have read of 'em," says the little boy from Chartreux, solemnly.
"They like to eat women. One was going to eat Andromeda, you know, papa;
and Jason killed another, who was guarding the apple-tree."

"... A few dragons on a hill," George resumes, "who rode away from us
without engaging. We slept under canvass. We marched to St. Malo, and
burned ever so many privateers there. And we went on board shipp again,
without ever crossing swords with an enemy or meeting any except a
few poor devils whom the troops plundered. Better luck next time! This
hasn't been very much nor particular glorious: but I have liked it for
my part. I have smelt powder, besides a good deal of rosn and pitch we
burned. I've seen the enemy; have sleppt under canvass, and been dredful
crowdid and sick at sea. I like it. My best compliments to dear Aunt
Lambert, and tell Miss Hetty I wasn't very much fritened when I saw the
French horse.--Your most affectionate brother, H. E. WARRINGTON."

We hope Miss Hetty's qualms of conscience were allayed