here was a third person sitting in company with my
mother and Virginia; but Virginia sprang to me, and I threw down my
bundles with which I was loaded, and pressed her in my arms. Although I
had been absent but four months, she appeared to be very much grown, and
in every way improved. As soon as I had released her, I offered my hand
to my mother, who took it very coldly, and then observed, "Tom, you will
be _so_ ungenteel; don't you see there is a gentleman here?"

"I beg his pardon, mother," replied I; "but I could only see my sister
just then."

"And I admire your feeling, Tom," replied the party. "Mrs Saunders,
you must not scold him for that. How do you do, Tom, and how do you
like your profession?" continued he, holding out his hand.

I took his hand, and looking at him I recognised him. "Oh, sir! you are
the gentleman who was sitting in the room when we called upon Sir
Hercules and her ladyship."

"I am so, Tom, and I promised Sir Hercules that I would have an eye to
you all, and be of any use to you that I could. My name is Wilson, and
I'm what the sailors call a shark, that is, I'm a lawyer."

"Well, you don't appear as if you would bite, sir," replied I, as I
looked at his venerable and kind face.

"No, no, we never frighten people by our looks. We don't carry our
teeth with us; but I have several rows of them, all upon shelves in my
chambers, called the `Statutes at Large,' and by other names."

He then entered into conversation with me, and I told him most of what
had passed, of course not forgetting that the Indiaman we had brought up
the river had captured a privateer. He sat about an hour, and then went
away, desiring me to call upon him. I was not sorry when he went, as I
wished to show my presents to Virginia, and give her those which she
liked best. When Virginia had selected for herself, or rather I had
forced upon her all she most admired, I gave a cut ivory card-case, a
filigree needle-case, and a small red scarf to my mother, who, for the
first time in her life, appeared pleased with me, and said that they
were very _genteel_, and she was much obliged to me. The remainder I
put away in my room upstairs, intending to keep some for Bessy, and give
the others to Mrs St. Felix, the doctor, and old Nanny.

I then went to the hospital and found out my father, old Anderson, and
Ben. I narrated to them much more circumstantially than I did to the
old lawyer the particulars of the captur