."

The last words were in a tone of sincere feeling; and Augustus asked,
"What do you mean by sorry? what has happened to him?"

"Have n't you seen it in the 'Times'--no, you could n't, though--it was
only in this morning's edition, and I have it somewhere. There 's to
be a court-martial on him. He's to be tried on board the 'Ramsay,' at
Portsmouth, for disobedience and indiscipline, and using to his superior
officer--old Colthurst--words unbecoming the dignity of the service
and the character of an officer, or the dignity of an officer and the
character of the service--it's all the one gauge; but he 'll be broke
and cashiered all the same."

"I thought that if he were to recall something, if he would make some
explanation, which he might without any peril to honor--"

"That's exactly how it was; and when I heard he was in a scrape I
started off to Portsmouth to see him."

"You did?" exclaimed Augustus, looking now with a very different
expression at the other.

"To be sure I did; I went down by the mail train, and stayed with him
till the one-forty express started next day, and I might have saved
myself the trouble."

"You could make no impression upon him?"

"Not a bit,--as well talk to that oak sideboard there; he 'd sit and
smoke, and chat very pleasantly, too, about anything, I believe. He 'd
tell about his life up in town, and what he lost at the races, and how
near he was to a good thing on the Riddlesworth; but not a word, not
so much as a syllable would he say about his own hobble. It was growing
late. We had had a regular bang-up breakfast--turtle steaks and a
devilled lobster, and plenty of good champagne--not the sweet stuff
your father gives us down here, but dry 'mum,' that had a flavor of
Marco-brunner about it. He 's a rare fellow to treat a man, is Jack;
and so I said,--not going about the bush, but bang into the thicket
at once,--'What's this stupid row you 've got into with your Admiral?
what's it all about?'

"'It's about a service regulation, Master Cutbill,' said he, with a
stiff look on him. 'A service regulation that you would n't understand
if you heard it.'

"'You think,' said I, 'that out of culverts and cuttings, Tom Cutbill's
opinion is not worth much?'

"'No, no, not that, Cutbill. I never said that,' said he, laughing;
'but you see that we sailors not only have all sorts of technicals for
the parts of a ship, but we have technical meanings for even the words
of common life,