ly annoyed, but
did not attempt to accompany her. After a short time Reginald came aft,
when the gong sounded for dinner. She said a few words to him as she
went below; upon which he followed with a haste he seldom exhibited,
and, as the passengers took their seats, slipped into a chair on one
side of Violet, while her father sat on the other. Captain Hawkesford,
on returning from his cabin, found the place he had intended to occupy
already filled, and with an angry frown on his brow he went to the
further end of the table. Most of the passengers had collected, when
some one remarked that the chairs of Major and Mrs Molony were vacant.

"Why did they not come down?" asked Mrs Brigadier Bomanjoy.

"The little lady is in one of her tantrums," answered Miss Pelican.
"The gallant major is endeavouring to bring her round, but she won't
because she won't."

Just then the voice of the little lady was heard, mingled with the
expostulations of her liege lord, coming down the open skylight, on the
coamings of which she was seated, directly over the head of the table.

"Come, ladies and gentlemen, we must commence operations or the meat
will get cold," observed the captain; and having said grace, he was
about to begin carving a leg of mutton swimming in gravy placed before
him, when there came a wild scream and a shout from the major,--"Arrah,
my darling, where are you after going to?" though, before the words were
well out of the speaker's mouth, down came flop on the top of the leg of
mutton the rotund form of Mrs Major Molony, fortunately head uppermost,
in a semi-sitting posture,--the joint of meat serving as a cushion to
that part of her body which is usually thus accommodated, while one of
her feet stuck into a dish of potatoes and the other into one of curry
and rice, the gravy flying on all sides like the contents of a bursting
bomb.

"Oh, where have I got to?" cried the little lady, panting and screaming
with terror, though she was sufficiently aware of what had happened to
make an endeavour to cover up her little round legs, which were more
exposed than her modesty would have allowed.

Captain Lyford, with all the delicacy imaginable, though his sides were
splitting with laughter, placed his arms under the little lady, and
lifted her up ready to present to the major, who came rushing down wild
with alarm, under the belief that she must have either broken her neck,
or have been spitted on the carving knife and f