; and as soon as I can quit the profession I
shall. No captive ever sighed more to be released from his chains; but I
will not leave it, till I find that I am in a situation not to be
spurned and neglected by those with whom I have a right to associate.'

At this moment the steward was seen forward making signs to Mrs.
Lascelles, who excused herself, and went to him.

'For the love of God, madam,' said Maddox, 'as he appears to be friendly
with you, do pray find out how these cutlets are to be dressed; the cook
is tearing his hair, and we shall never have any dinner; and then it
will all fall upon me, and I--shall be tossed overboard.'

Mrs. Lascelles desired poor Maddox to wait there while she obtained the
desired information. In a few minutes she returned to him.

'I have found it out. They are first to be boiled in vinegar, then fried
in batter, and served up with a sauce of anchovy and Malaga raisins!'

'First fried in vinegar, then boiled in batter, and served up with
almonds and raisins!'

'No--no!' Mrs. Lascelles repeated the injunction to the frightened
steward, and then returned aft, and re-entered into a conversation with
Pickersgill, in which for the first time Corbett now joined. Corbett had
sense enough to feel that the less he came forward until his superior
had established himself in the good graces of the ladies, the more
favourable would be the result.

In the meantime Cecilia had gone down to her aunt, who still continued
to wail and lament. The young lady tried all she could to console her,
and to persuade her that if they were civil and obedient they had
nothing to fear.

'Civil and obedient, indeed!' cried Miss Ossulton, 'to a fellow who is a
smuggler and a pirate! I, the sister of Lord B.! Never! The presumption
of the wretch!'

'That is all very well, aunt; but recollect, we must submit to
circumstances. These men insist upon our dining with them; and we must
go, or we shall have no dinner.'

'I sit down with a pirate! Never! I'll have no dinner--I'll starve--I'll
die!'

'But, my dear aunt, it's the only chance we have of obtaining our
release; and if you do not do it Mrs. Lascelles will think that you wish
to remain with them.'

'Mrs. Lascelles judges of other people by herself.'

'The captain is certainly a very well-behaved, handsome man. He looks
like a nobleman in disguise. What an odd thing it would be, aunt, if
this should be all a hoax!'

'A hoax, child?' replied Miss Oss