less events might occur to delay him. He
had also ventured to speak to Colonel Gauntlett, for the first time, of
his love for his niece; and the reception he had met with from the old
gentleman was, as might be expected, most unsatisfactory.

The colonel and Ada were driving home together: she had not spoken, for
she could not trust her voice.

"Niece," said the colonel, stamping with his stick at the bottom of the
carriage, as if to arouse her, "you were talking and dancing a great
deal too much with that young naval man--that Captain Fleetwood--and
after what I said to you at the commencement of the evening, I consider
such conduct highly reprehensible."

"I confess I spoke to him a great deal this evening," answered the poor
girl, in a tremulous voice. "I hoped that you would not blame me, as he
said that he would speak to you and explain everything."

"Well, young lady, he did speak to me, and a damned impertinent thing he
said, too. He had the folly--the outrageous, unconscionable folly--to
ask me to allow you to marry him!" exclaimed the colonel in a husky
voice, again almost driving his stick through the bottom of the
carriage. "He had the folly; but I was not fool enough to accede to
it--I refused him, young woman. And now, never let me hear his name
mentioned again."

With a sad heart Ada placed her head on her pillow, and, with a sadder
still, she rose on the following morning to prepare for her voyage.

CHAPTER SIX.

The crew of the Sicilian speronara were busily engaged the whole fore
part of the day in discharging the small quantity of cargo, consisting
chiefly of corn and other provisions, with which their vessel was laden.

When this was done she immediately cleared out at the custom-house, and
without any of her crew having even visited the shore, she got up her
anchor, and commenced making sail. The long tapering yard of her
foresail was first hoisted, and its folds of white canvas let fall, and
when her head paid round, her mainsail was next got on her, and sheeted
home. Instead, however, of running out of the harbour, as it at first
appeared she was about to do, after she had gone a little distance, just
between Fort Saint Angelo and Fort Ricasoli, she hauled her foresail to
windward, and hove to. The probable cause of this was soon explained,
for a small boat was seen to dart out from beneath the fortifications of
Valetta, and to take its way across the harbour towards her, carryi