of
hoops, with which they had not encumbered themselves.

They speedily threw themselves into chairs and sofas, and coffee was
brought to them, and then cigars, which they lighted, without ceremony,
from small lumps of hot charcoal handed to them by a little black
slave-girl.

In a short time some young men came in. They appeared to be brothers
and cousins of the young ladies, or perhaps there was a lover or so
among them. One went to a spinet which stood at the end of the room,
and another brought in a violin and began to strike up a dancing air.
Then, to show that we were civilised beings, O'Driscoll and I rose to
our feet, and each offering a hand to a young lady, we commenced a
minuet to the air which was being played. We flattered ourselves that
we performed our parts to admiration, though our knowledge had been
picked up during a few evenings spent on shore at New York during our
last stay there. To the minuet succeeded a regular country-dance. Here
O'Driscoll felt that he could show off in right good style, and
accordingly frisked and frolicked and jumped about in the most vehement
way imaginable. He soon danced himself into the good graces of all the
lady part of the community, who seemed to admire his red hair and ruddy
cheeks, which formed so great a contrast to their own complexions. I
heard them remarking that he was a _joli garcon_ and a _bon garcon_, and
the more impudent he looked, and the more he frolicked, the more they
admired him. I came in for some share of their commendations, I flatter
myself, though not perhaps to so large a one as he did, but whether or
not from the same cause I will not pretend to say. Evening was drawing
on and our contentment and hilarity were at their height--as to being
prisoners, we forgot all about that--when who should pop his head in at
the door but the ugly black rascal who had acted as our guard, the
fellow with the long pistols and hanger. We endeavoured to ignore his
acquaintance and laughed heartily in his face, when he said that he had
come to carry us off.

"Pooh, pooh!" exclaimed O'Driscoll, going up to him, and, shaking him by
the shoulders, turned him about to shove him out of the room; but an
harangue he uttered appeared to have a considerable effect on our host.
What he said I do not know. Our host's manner at once changed towards
us.

"It appears, gentlemen," said he, coming up to us, "that you are setting
at defiance the authorities of the i