low--the beauty on my left--acknowledged the introduction with a
very queenly and distant bow; Lady O'Brien looked me keenly in the eyes
for an instant, and then shook hands with me very heartily; and the
general murmured something about being glad to make my acquaintance, and
forthwith addressed himself with avidity to the plate of soup which one
of the stewards placed before him.

Presently, having finished his soup, the general leaned forward and
stared hard at me for a moment. Then he remarked:

"Excuse me, Conyers--it is no use being formal, when we are about to be
cooped up together on board ship for the next two months, is it?--are
you the man that got so shockingly hacked about at the capture of that
piratical slaver, the--the--hang it all, I've forgotten her name now?"

"If you refer to the _Preciosa_, I must plead guilty to the soft
impeachment," answered I.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "hang me if I didn't think so when I heard your
name, and saw that scar across your forehead. Wonderfully plucky thing
to do, sir; as plucky a thing, I think, as I ever heard of! I must get
you to tell me all about it, some time or another--here, steward, hang
it all, man, this sherry is corked! Bring me another bottle!"

I am rather a shy man, and this sudden identification of me in
connection with an affair that I had already grown heartily tired of
hearing referred to, and that I fondly hoped would now be speedily
forgotten by my friends, was distinctly disconcerting; I therefore
seized upon the opportunity afforded me by the mishap to the general's
sherry to divert the conversation into another channel, by turning to my
lovely left-hand neighbour with the inquiry:

"Is this your first experience of shipboard, Miss Onslow?"

"This will be my third voyage to India, Mr Conyers," she answered, with
an air of surprise at my temerity in addressing her, and such proud,
stately dignity and lofty condescension that I caught myself thinking:

"Hillo, Charley, my lad, what sort of craft is this you are exchanging
salutes with? You will have to take care what you are about with her,
my fine fellow, or you will be finding that some of her guns are
shotted!"

But I was not to be deterred from making an effort to render myself
agreeable, simply because the manner of the young lady was almost
chillingly distant, so I returned:

"Indeed! then you are quite a seasoned traveller. And how does the sea
use you? Does it treat you kindl