"With pleasure, sir," replied Francisco, laughing; "but I think I'd
rather wait till Edward is a captain. His wife and his fortune ought to
come together. I think I shall not deliver up my papers until the day
of his marriage!"

"Upon my word," said Captain Manly, "I wish, Templemore, you had your
commission, for there seems so much depending on it--the young lady's
happiness, my share of the prize-money, and the admiral's eighth.
Really, admiral, it becomes a common cause; and I'm sure he deserves
it!"

"So do I, Manly," replied the admiral; "and to prove that I have thought
so here comes Mr Hadley with it in his hand; it only wants one little
thing to complete it--"

"Which is your signature, admiral, I presume," replied Captain Manly,
taking a pen full of ink, and presenting it to his senior officer.

"Exactly," replied the admiral, scribbling at the bottom of the paper;
"and now--it does not want that. Captain Templemore, I wish you joy!"

Edward made a very low obeisance, as his flushed countenance indicated
his satisfaction.

"I cannot give commissions, admiral," said Francisco, presenting a paper
in return; "but I can give information--and you will find it not
unimportant--for the treasure appears of great value."

"God bless my soul! Manly, you must start at daylight!" exclaimed the
admiral; "why, there is enough to load your sloop! There!--read it!--
and then I will write your orders, and enclose a copy of it, for fear of
accident."

"That was to have been my fortune," said Francisco, with a grave smile;
"but I would not touch it."

"Very right, boy!--a fine principle! But we are not quite so
particular," said the admiral. "Now, where's the young lady? Let her
know that dinner's on the table."

A fortnight after this conversation, Captain Manly returned with the
treasure; and the Enterprise, commanded by another officer, returned
from Porto Rico, with a letter from the governor in reply to one from
the admiral, in which the rescue of his daughter by Edward had been
communicated. The letter was full of thanks to the admiral, and
compliments to Edward; and, what was of more importance, it sanctioned
the union of the young officer with his daughter, with a dozen boxes of
gold doubloons.

About six weeks after the above-mentioned important conversation, Mr
Witherington, who had been reading a voluminous packet of letters in his
breakfast-room in Finsbury Square, pulled his bell so violently