triumphantly; "look at
him carefully, now. No, Jane, my woman, I don't believe you'd ever
guess!"

"Who?"

"Why, the son of my good old commander, Lieutenant Leigh, of the
_Swallow_, him as I've spun you so many yarns about! Why, Jane, my
woman, I found the poor little laddie a desarted young orphan on the Hoe
just now. He's friendless, with never a home to go to; and so I asked
him to come along o' me, saying as how you'd welcome him to `Old
Calabar' the same as I."

"And so I will, too, Sam," replied the other, coming up to me and
speaking; "I'm main glad to see you here, young gentleman, for I've
often heard Sam talk of your father, saying how good and kind he was to
him. You're heartily welcome to our little home. My gracious, Sam!"
she added, turning aside and using her apron again; "he's as like my Ted
as two peas! I can't help it!" and so saying, she threw her arms round
my neck and kissed me.

The action somewhat confused me; for, it was the first motherly caress I
had ever experienced in my life. Aunt Matilda, you may be sure, never
once thought of so greeting me!

"Avast there, Jane," laughed out Sam, much pleased at the way in which
his sister had received me. "What d'ye mean by boarding my prize in
that fashion? But I'm glad you think he's like Teddy--it will make it
more like old times and home-like for us to have the laddie with us."

"Aye, and he can have Ted's room," answered the other--all eagerness now
to see to my being completely arranged for--"I think the poor boy's
clothes will fit him too."

"So they will, and just in time, too, for he wants a new rig," said her
brother, casting a critical eye over my wardrobe, which had not been
improved by my stay on board the coal brig.

We then proceeded to enter a nice roomy old-fashioned kitchen, with a
cleanly-scoured floor like the deck of a man-of-war, and all resplendent
with rows of plates and burnished pewter pots and dish-covers, where we
had, what I considered both then and now to be, the best dinner I had
ever eaten in my life, winding up with an apple tart that had Devonshire
cream spread over it like powdered sugar--a most unparalleled
prodigality of luxury to my unaccustomed eyes and palate!

Afterwards, I was shown a little room at the back, looking out into the
garden, which had been formerly occupied by Teddy. Of this I was now
put in formal possession, along with a good stock of clothes which the
bereaved mother had car