ork.

"Arrah now, my darling, is it killed you are entirely?" he exclaimed, as
he caught sight of her.

The shouts of laughter proceeding from all sides, and in which even
Violet and Reginald could not help joining, prevented her answer from
being heard, as the major, taking her in his arms, bore her off to her
cabin, that she might put a fresh skirt on in lieu of her
gravy-bespattered dress.

The steward had in the meantime picked up the leg of mutton, which had
been sent spinning out of the dish; and its tenderness was accounted for
by the unusual pressure to which it had been subjected by the fair
little dame.

It appeared, from the conversation of the major, who soon returned to
the table, that at the moment his wife was kicking at him pettishly with
her foot the ship gave a roll, and she, losing her balance, the
catastrophe lately witnessed had occurred; a lesson, as he observed with
a wink, by which he piously hoped she would in future profit.

"I congratulate you, my dear, that it did not happen to you," observed
the brigadier to his better half.

"I never kick at my husband," answered the lady.

For the sake of the feelings of Mrs Molony the conversation was
changed, when she at length appeared, considerably crestfallen, and took
her seat meekly by her husband's side. Dinner was proceeded with; but
every now and then some of the young ensigns burst out into
uncontrollable fits of laughter, joined in by the rest like the fire of
skirmishers, as one of them happened to recall the incident to mind,--
the only one hitherto worth noting during the voyage, which promised to
terminate without the occurrence of any of greater importance.

Some days had passed after this event, when, as the ship was still
running before the wind, making eight or nine knots an hour, with a
somewhat heavy sea on, a fine young lad--going out to join his father
and mother, who had obtained some employment for him in the uncovenanted
service--was skylarking aloft with some other youngsters, when, losing
his hold, he fell into the foaming sea.

"Man overboard!" was the cry.

Captain Lyford was on deck in a moment, issuing orders to shorten sail
and bring the ship to, that a boat might be lowered. The lad could
swim, but suddenly finding himself plunged amid the foaming seas, he
lost his presence of mind, and it appeared doubtful whether he would
keep afloat. A couple of chairs and a hen-coop had been hove to him,
but not till h