the hall, for if
any strangers were to come there would be no one to open the gate."

"Stop and look after your wife; I can dispense with your attendance, for
I know my way perfectly," answered Lord Reginald, laughing. "Come
along, Voules, I shall be glad to be at home at last."

The authoritative pull which the young nobleman gave to the hall bell
soon brought the domestics to the door. The marquis and Lady Elverston,
with their two fair daughters, and Lord John their eldest son, hurried
out to meet Lord Reginald. His mother and sisters embraced him
affectionately, gazing into his well-bronzed countenance, while his
father and brother warmly wrung his hand, as they expressed their joy at
his safe return. He then introduced his messmate Mr Voules, who
received a polite welcome to Elverston Hall.

"And now, pray tell us, Reginald, to what circumstances we are indebted
for seeing you so unexpectedly," said the marquis.

"The kindness of Captain Moubray; who, hearing, when our frigate came to
an anchor in Yarmouth Roads, that we were within a short distance of
this, allowed me and my messmate Voules, at my request, to come on shore
and pay you a visit, while the _Wolf_ is refitting at Portsmouth."

"What brings her back?" asked his father. "I understood that she was
not expected home for some time."

"We have had a glorious fight with a French frigate, which we compelled
to strike, and have brought home as our prize; though, as we did not get
off scot-free, it will take the _Wolf_ some time to repair damages."

"Did you lose many men?" asked the marquis.

"Twenty or more killed or wounded," answered Lord Reginald, in a
careless tone.

"My dear boy, how thankful I am that you escaped!" exclaimed the
marchioness, gazing at him with a mother's love in her eyes.

"Oh, do tell us all about it," cried Lady Lucy, his eldest sister.

"All in good time," answered Reginald; "but to say the truth, we are
very sharp set after our long walk, and should prefer refreshing the
inner man before we exhaust our energies by talking, and I will refer
you on the subject to Voules, whose descriptive powers are far superior
to mine. All that I can tell is that we saw a ship, which we soon
discovered to be French, and, coming up with her, fired away until, in
the course of a couple of hours, having had enough of it, she hauled
down her colours, and that when we were sent on board to take
possession, we found that we had knocked