the Palisades, which
adventurous mids and juvenile subs, have alone of mortals been known to
attempt on horseback. The land rises rapidly beyond the flat on which
Kingston stands, the Admiral's Pen being some way above it, while Up
Hill Barracks appear beautifully situated very much higher up the
mountain.

The frigate lay at anchor off Port Royal, the crippled corvette had just
been towed into dock. Jack and Terence were walking the deck under the
awning, having got ready to go on shore.

"Faith, now, this is a fine place!" exclaimed Terence, as he gazed over
the wide expanse of the harbour, the plain of Liguania covered with
plantations, and dotted with white farm-houses quivering in the beams of
a tropical sun. Beyond it rose the magnificent amphitheatre of the Blue
Mountains, one piled upon another, reaching to the clouds, and
intersected by numerous deep, irregular valleys; one of their spurs,
with Rock Fort at its base, appearing directly over the ship's
port-quarter; while before the beam was seen, at the end of a narrow
spit of sand, Fort Augusta, its guns ready to sweep to destruction any
hostile fleet which might attempt to enter; and over the bow in the far
distance could dimly be distinguished the town of Kingston, at the head
of the lagoon.

"Not equal to Trinidad, though," observed Jack. "I don't know what your
fair cousin Maria would say if she heard you expatiate so warmly on its
beauties."

"I'd just invite her to come with me, and judge for herself," answered
Terence. "But why did you speak of her now? I was beginning to fancy
that I was getting the sweet creature out of my head, for it's bothering
me she has been ever since we left the island. Oh, Jack! you're a
hardhearted fellow. I thought that you would have fallen head over ears
in love with Stella."

"I saw that Miss O'Regan was not likely to fall in love with me, and,
besides, for other reasons, when I found how completely Murray was
captivated by her, I soon conquered the admiration I felt," said Jack.
"I wish for his sake that they had never met. Dragged about as she is
by her enthusiast of a father into all sorts of dangers, it is
impossible to say what may be her fate; and it would go nigh to break
his heart should her life be lost, or any other misfortune happen to
her. Here comes a shore-boat--we'll secure her to take us to Kingston."

Jack going to the gangway met the very person they had just been
speaking of.

"Why,