minds that nothing could be done, and so they stopped at home. But now,
here they are again, as if by magic! If the ship gets off, it will be
known halfway to London before nightfall. But I see Captain Stubbard
going up the hill to your charming battery. That shows implicit faith in
Tugwell, to return the salute of the fair captive! It is indeed a proud
day for Springhaven!"

"But it isn't done yet. And perhaps it won't be done. I would rather
trust officers of the navy than people who catch crabs and oysters. I
would go up to the battery, to laugh at my husband, but for the tricks
the children play me. My authority is gone, at the very first puff of
smoke. How children do delight in that vile gunpowder!"

"So they ought, in the present state of our country, with five hundred
thousand of Frenchmen coming. My dear Mrs. Stubbard, how thankful we
should be to have children who love gunpowder!"

"But not when they blow up their mother, ma'am."

"Oh, here comes Eliza!" cried Mrs. Twemlow. "I am so glad, because she
knows everything. I thought we had missed her. My dear child, where are
Faith and Dolly Darling gone? There are so many strangers about to-day
that the better class should keep together."

"Here are three of us at any rate," replied the young lady, who
considered her mother old-fashioned: "enough to secure one another's
sanctity from the lower orders. Faith has gone on to the headland, with
that heroic mannikin, Johnny. Dolly was to follow, with that Shanks maid
to protect her, as soon as her hat was trimmed, or some such era. But
I'll answer for it that she loses herself in the crowd, or some fib of
that sort."

"Eliza!" said her mother, and very severely, because Mrs. Stubbard was
present, "I am quite astonished at your talking so. You might do the
greatest injury to a very lively and harmless, but not over-prudent
girl, if any one heard you who would repeat it. We all know that the
Admiral is so wrapped up in Dolly that he lets her do many things which
a mother would forbid. But that is no concern of ours; and once for all,
if such things must be said, I beg that they may not be said by you."

In the present age, Mrs. Twemlow would have got sharp answer. But her
daughter only looked aggrieved, and glanced at Mrs. Stubbard, as if to
say, "Well, time will show whether I deserve it." And then they hastened
on, among the worse class, to the headland.

Not only all the fishing-smacks, and Captain Stubbard's