t I had been
taken ill with the fever, and was in the next room.

"Next room!" replied the captain: "why was he not sent on board? Are
all the midshipmen who are taken ill to be brought to my house to be
cured?"

I overheard this reply of the captain, and it cut me to the heart. I
felt what an invincible pride had to be conquered before I could obtain
my wishes.

The surgeon answered Captain Delmar,--"As only you and Mr Keene were
taken with the fever, I thought it better that he should remain here,
than that the ship's company should take it by his being sent on board.
I trust, Captain Delmar, I have done right?"

"Yes, I see," replied the captain; "you did perfectly right--I did not
think of that. I hope Mr Keene is doing well?"

"I trust that we shall get him through it, sir," replied the surgeon.

"Pray let him have anything that he requires, Mr ---; let him want for
nothing during his illness and convalescence. He would be a heavy loss
to the service," added the captain.

"He would, indeed, sir," replied the surgeon.

"Here are the journals of St. Pierre, in which there are several
accounts of the duel, most of them incorrect. Some say that you were
twice wounded, others once."

"I dare say they thought so," replied the captain, "for Cross tells me
that I was carried home. It's very singular that I should have fought
in such a condition. Thank you, Mr ---; I will read them when I have
lain down a little, for I am tired again already."

The surgeon then informed the captain of the death of Captain W.

"Poor fellow!" replied Captain Delmar. "Well, I will not make any
appointments until I am better." The captain then lay down again,
leaving the newspapers on the coverlet.

A week now passed, during which both the captain and I became nearly
convalescent: we had both been out of bed, and had remained for a few
hours on the sofas in our respective rooms. The surgeon told me that it
would be necessary to tell him the truth very soon, and that he thought
he would do so on the following day. It did, however, happen that the
discovery was not made to him by the surgeon. In the afternoon, when
the latter was on board, Captain Delmar felt so strong that he resolved
to put on his clothes, and go into the sitting-room. He desired Cross
to give them to him, and the first articles handed to him were his
trowsers, and Bob quite forgot that I had worn them.

"Why, how's this?" said the captain--"here's