ntinued talking to Miss Rowley with the
insinuating air he knew so well how to assume. Miss Hyslop took but
little notice of him when he addressed her, and turned away, giving her
attention to Bella's lessons, or going on with any work she might have
in hand, for she never was a moment idle. She was admirably fitted for
colonial life; indeed, I may say, for any position in which she might be
placed. If she had become a duchess, she would not have been an idle
one.--I again addressed Mr Kydd. I told him that the captain wished to
have the lead hove.

"The old man is always issuing his orders through you, Mr Crawford," he
answered at length, in a scornful tone. "I know, I should think, what
ought to be done, and I will do it. And I beg you will not interrupt me
when I am talking to ladies." He added the last sentence in a whisper,
sufficiently loud, however, for Miss Rowley to hear him.

"As the captain has been too ill to take an observation for some time, I
suppose that you know our correct longitude, Mr Kydd. He, at all
events, considers that we are close in with the African coast; and, as
you are aware, it would be a terrible thing to have the brig cast on one
of the sandbanks which lie off it," I remarked.

"No fear of that," he answered scornfully. "We shall have a breeze
soon, probably, and then we will stand to the westward, and run down to
the latitude of Loando. We are not many degrees from that, at all
events."

"The captain is a good seaman, and he has his reasons for ordering the
lead to be hove," I answered. "If the calm continues, he wishes us to
anchor as soon as the water shoals sufficiently."

"Shoals sufficiently!" repeated the mate, in the same scornful tone; "we
have no line on board to reach the bottom, I'll warrant." The mate
unintentionally spoke loud enough for the gentlemen to hear him.

"Come, Mr Kydd, I suppose you intend to obey the captain's orders,"
said Captain Hyslop, coming up to where we were standing. "It seems to
me that he has good reason for giving them."

"I believe, sir, that I am chief officer of the _Osprey_, and that I
know my duty," said the mate. "It is not customary for passengers to
interfere with the navigation of the ship."

"Certainly not, sir," answered Stanley; "but I trust all on board will
obey the captain's orders while he is able to give them."

"That will not be for long," muttered the mate in an undertone. "I
intend to do what is necessary