r to live as she had been accustomed to;
that he hoped to make more, and that he had good reason to believe he
should before long be a post-captain, when he should be her father's
equal in rank. Alice was not very much surprised nor agitated, because
she was before sure that he loved her. Still it was very pleasant to
hear him say so. Pearce also felt supremely happy, and did not for a
moment contemplate the clouds and storms which might be ahead. Alice
herself might possibly have seen difficulties which he did not. She
loved her father, but she knew that he was a proud man and weak on
certain points, and that few men thought more of family and connections.
It had always surprised her that he had not inquired more particularly
about Pearce's parentage, but she concluded that he was acquainted with
the circumstances of the case, and was satisfied. It was, at all
events, her duty to tell her father that Captain Ripley had declared
himself. Pearce was to dine with them that day. In the meantime he had
to go on board. He returned some time before the dinner hour. Colonel
Verner had not come in, so that Alice had not had an opportunity of
speaking to her father. Pearce told her that a frigate had arrived that
morning direct from England. Everybody was eager to hear the news she
brought. Probably that kept the colonel from home. While seated
together, and interested more in themselves than in the world at large,
the door was suddenly opened, and Lieutenant Harry Verner was announced.

"Why, Cousin Harry, where have you dropped from?" said Alice, rising to
welcome him, "I did not even know that you were a lieutenant. You have
grown up out of a little midshipman since I saw you last."

"I've dropped from His Britannic Majesty's Frigate `Hecate,' of which I
have the honour of being third lieutenant," announced the young man.
"And as for changes, though you are lovely as ever, I shall not know
soon whether I am standing on my head or my feet;" he looked fixedly at
Pearce as he spoke.

"I beg your pardon, Captain Ripley," said Alice, recovering herself from
the slight confusion into which she had been thrown; "I should have
introduced my cousin to you."

"Harry Verner and I are old shipmates I suspect, unless there are two of
the name very much like each other," said Pearce, rising and putting out
his hand.

"Yes, as midshipmen we were together, I believe," answered Harry,
superciliously; "but really it is diff