a hole through the
waistband, and they are bloody."

Bob was so frightened, that he walked out of the room as if he had not
heard what the captain had said. It appears that the captain took up
his coat, and discovered another hole in the shoulder, with the same
marks of blood.

"This is quite a dream," said the captain, talking to himself--"I've no
wound, and yet the newspapers say that I was wounded twice. Cross!
Cross!--Where is Cross?"

Bob, who had taken refuge in my room, where we overheard everything he
said, whispered, "It's no use now, Mr Keene,--I must tell it all; never
fear me, I know how to do it." And then he obeyed the captain's
summons, leaving me in a state of great nervous anxiety.

"Cross," said the captain sternly, "I insist upon knowing the truth: I
have been deceived by my officers. Did I, or did I not, fight this
duel?"

"Well, sir," replied Cross, "the truth was only kept back from you till
you were quite well again, and I suppose I must tell it to you now. You
were too ill, and you raved about our honour, and that you were
disgraced, and that--"

"Well, go on, sir."

"I will, Captain Delmar; but I hope you'll not be angry, sir. Mr Keene
could not bear to see you in that way, and he said he would lay down his
life for you at any time, and he begged Mr Smith, the master, to allow
him to fight the duel, because he said that he was so like you in person
(which, somehow or other he is, that's certain), that no one would know
it was him if he put on your honour's wig and uniform: that's how it
was, sir."

"Go on," said the captain.

"Well, sir, the master could not bear the sneering of the sogers on
shore, and he consented that Mr Keene should take your place, which he
did, sir; and I hope you will not be angry with Mr Keene, for it's your
old coat, sir, and I think it may have a piece let in, that it won't be
seen."

Cross then went on describing the whole affair--of course praising me--
and told the captain that everybody on board, as well as on shore,
thought that he was wounded and that I had been taken with the yellow
fever, and that nobody knew the real truth except the master, the
surgeon, and himself.

"Is Mr Keene seriously hurt?" inquired the captain, after a pause.

"No, sir; the doctor says he will do very well. He was as near gone as
ever a man was: at one time his breath would not move a feather--all the
blood was out of his body."

For a minute the captain made