lucky general managed to clear his feet. "Clear
his feet, indeed!" thought Keane; "how could he? No; the place would be
his. Then he could hold up his head in the county. And as for Sir Digby,
why, he could be easily managed after marriage. He was a trifle wild, he
had been told, but he believed he was wealthy, and he would--some
day--be a lord."

Every one loved the general and his beautiful but unassuming daughter.
There was no word of her being engaged to any one as yet, though such an
engagement might take place at any time. She was indeed a queenly girl.
Now suitors are usually a little afraid of queenly girls--not that there
are very many about, but though they may dispense their favours in kind
words and smiles, they do not flirt, and though warm-hearted deep down
in their soul-depths, there is no surface love to squander or to be
ruffled with every breath that blows. Such girls as Flora Grant
Mackenzie love but once, and that love is real and true. Flora's prince
would doubtless come. _She_ was in no hurry.

But the girl was very happy on this her brother's birthday, and after
all the guests had gone she spent the usual quiet half-hour with her
father in his room in loving chat and converse, just as she had done
every night since, long, long ago, her mother had died.

"Good-night, dear," he said as he kissed her. "Affairs are not quite so
flourishing with me as I would like; but we'll trust in Providence,
won't we? Things are sure to take a turn."

"Yes, dear father. Good-night: God bless you!"

* * * * *

Many of the wounded, both among our own people and the French prisoners
on board the _Ocean Pride_, died and were buried as the ship sailed on;
but the strength of Jack's Highland constitution asserted itself, and he
was at last pronounced by M'Hearty to be out of danger, very much to Tom
Fairlie's delight.

His wounds had been very grievous--a sabre-cut on the skull and a spent
bullet that had injured his left arm.

When the ship reached Portsmouth and the country rang with the news of
Sir Sidney's bright little action, when the papers gave a list of the
dead and wounded and extolled Jack's bravery, and when private
information from headquarters informed the general that his son would be
gazetted post-captain, then the old Highlander's cup of bliss seemed
full.

"Look at that," he cried, with the joy-tears in his eyes; "read that
letter, Flora dear. My boy, my brave b