old had inquired in regard to her of the merchants. Had
they seen the owner who was making the cruise in her? They had. He was a
man thirty or thirty-two, with a fine black beard, and a lady had said
he was a remarkably handsome man. His informant thought he was a
foreigner, though he spoke English as fluently as the officers of the
garrison. He was dressed in the latest style of European garments when
he came on shore, and the Parsee had been unable to form an opinion in
regard to his nationality.

The carpenter of the Guardian-Mother had constructed something like a
magazine in the hold of the ship for the ammunition which had been taken
on board before she sailed. It was large enough for the new supply,
though some further precautions were taken for the safety of the
contents. The four twenty-four pounders were placed, two forward and two
aft, the former on the forecastle, and the latter in the space on deck
abaft the boudoir.

The guns were mounted on naval carriages, and portholes were to be
prepared on the passage to India. The two twelve-pounders were to remain
on the top-gallant forecastle, where they had always been; though they
had been used on the Fourth of July, and for saluting purposes only,
except in the Archipelago, where they had done more serious work, and
had doubtless saved Miss Blanche and Louis from capture.

The commander sincerely hoped there would never be an occasion to make
use of either the old or the new guns, for he was eminently a man of
peace; but he was prepared to defend his ship, either from pirates,
belligerent natives, or Captain Mazagan when he had recovered from his
wound. Probably he would not have thought of such a thing as increasing
his means of defence if Mazagan had not followed the ship as far as
Suez.

After he had looked over the white steam-yacht which lay beyond the
British steamer as well as he could, and gathered all the information in
regard to her and her commander, he could not help thinking of the last
threats of Mazagan. He had been assured that Ali-Noury Pacha was as
vindictive as ever, and that he had long before ordered a new steamer to
be built for him. Did the white steam-yacht belong to him?

Mazagan, evidently for the want of care, had irritated his wound, and
gone to the hospital at Suez. He could learn nothing in regard to him
there; but it was entirely impossible that he could have come to Aden,
for no steamer had passed the Guardian-Mother on her p