put us
on shore?"

She looked up with such a beautiful, earnest expression that I instantly
began to consider whether I could not by some possibility do as she
requested. As the result of my reflections I replied--

"I am sorry to say I cannot do so. I dare not so far depart from my
very clear line of duty; still, any accommodation I can afford you and
your aunt will, I am sure, be sanctioned by the admiral."

"You are very kind indeed, sir," said the young lady. "I would not ask
any officer to neglect his duty to the king he serves; I should despise
him if he did."

She had risen from her seat, and stood resting her left hand on the
table, while her right was slightly raised to give expression to her
sentiments.

"Ho, ho!" I thought, "your politics do not agree, then, with those of
your aunt."

I looked up into her face. I could not help it. How beautiful and
animated she looked! Her figure was not tall, though exquisitely
proportioned and rounded as if she enjoyed excellent health, and had
been subject to very few of the cares and disappointments of life. In a
word, I thought her a perfect heroine, and so she was. I could not help
congratulating myself at the idea of having her society on board the
tender for at least the next two days, and perhaps longer, and I must
own that I was in no hurry to finish looking over the papers of the
Crab, though for the life of me I could not have told a word of their
contents.

"Well, mister, are you satisfied now?"

The harsh, grating sounds of Captain Cobb's voice, for he it was who
spoke, recalled me to myself.

"Yes, yes," I answered. "Turn your hands up and get a hawser secured on
board with plenty of scope."

I then once more addressed the young lady--

"I must beg you and your aunt to come on board my schooner. This vessel
is not in a safe condition for you to remain in her. I will, believe
me, endeavour to do everything to secure your comfort and to mitigate
the annoyance you must of course feel. I will go on deck and endeavour
to persuade your aunt to do what is necessary."

"I wish you would," she answered. "I am afraid that you will have no
little difficulty, though."

I left the young lady preparing in a very methodical way to pack up her
things to remove on board the tender, while I, with no little
trepidation, went on deck to address the aunt. The Lady Parker was fast
coming up, and I wanted to make all arrangements before O'Driscoll's