im at the bottom of the Euxine.

"Will you pardon me, Mr Cutts, if I ask my kinsman a question or two
upon family affairs? The older cadets of the royal blood have seldom an
opportunity of meeting."

"Fire away," said the Saxon, "but be done with it as soon as you can."

"Reduced as we are," continued Mr Mandeville, addressing himself to me,
"in numbers as well as circumstances, it appears highly advisable that
we should maintain some intercourse with each other for the preservation
of our common rights. These, as we well know, had their origin before
the institution of Parliaments, and therefore are by no means fettered
or impugned by any of the popular enactments of a later age. Now, as you
are a lawyer, I should like to have your opinion on a point of some
consequence. Did you ever happen to meet our cousin, Count Ferguson of
the Roman Empire?"

"Never heard of him in my life," said I.

"Any relation of the fellow who couldn't get into the lodging-house?"
asked Cutts.

"I do not think so, Mr Cutts," replied Mandeville, mildly. "I had the
pleasure of making the Count's acquaintance at Vienna. He is, apprehend,
the only heir-male extant to the Scottish crown, being descended from
Prince Fergus and a daughter of Queen Boadicea. Now, you and I, though
younger cadets, and somewhat nearer in succession, merely represent
females, and have therefore little interest beyond a remote contingency.
But I understand it is the fact that the ancient destination to the
Scottish crown is restricted to heirs-male solely; and therefore I wish
to know, whether, as the Stuarts have failed, the Count is not entitled
to claim in right of his undoubted descent?"

I was petrified at the audacity of the man. Either he was the most
consummately impudent scoundrel I ever had the fortune to meet, or a
complete monomaniac! I looked him steadily in the face. The fine black
eye was bent upon me with an expression of deep interest, and something
uncommonly like a tear was quivering in the lash. Palpable monomania!

"It seems a very doubtful question," said I. "Before answering it, I
should like to see the Count's papers, and take a look at our older
records."

"That means, you want to be fee'd," said Cutts. "I'll tell you what, my
lads, I'll stand this sort of nonsense no longer. Confound your
Fergusons and Boadiceas! One would think, to hear you talk, that you
were not a couple of as ordinary individuals as ever stepped upon
shoe-leather,