eeling. "For Lucy's sake, I am most thankful that he and
his kind sister have left us their property, as indeed I am for my own.
I must be off for England as soon as I can get superseded, as it is
absolutely necessary to settle their affairs. I wish you had as good an
excuse as I have."

"I heartily congratulate you, Terence," said Jack; "but I am not sure
that I shall not also have to go home before long, for Julia writes me
word that her father is very ill, and much wishes to see me. As we have
already served two years, I don't think that the Admiralty will object
to supersede us, as it will give them an opportunity of obliging some of
their friends."

After the two young commanders had somewhat got over the sorrow they
naturally felt at hearing of the admiral's death, their spirits
recovered; and, when together, they could talk of little else than their
proposed return. They hoped to be sent down to Panama, where their
ships could wait till their successors arrived. They possibly, on this
account, took less interest in Vancouver's Island than they might
otherwise have done, though present at a naval regatta at Esquimault,
when the quiet harbour assumed a wonderfully gay appearance by the
arrival of numerous steamers and boats of various descriptions from
Victoria, and also at several cricket-matches played between the
settlers and the officers of the ships' companies, and at a ball at
Government House. The midshipmen voted the ball a decided failure as
far as they were concerned, in consequence of the small amount of
attention they received from the fairer portion of the guests; though
they considered the cricket-matches and regatta very good fun.

At length the _Dragon_ and _Eolus_ were ordered to Panama. Soon after
their arrival, two officers, who had come across the isthmus by the
railway, made their appearance on board with the welcome information
that they were to supersede them. They were both old shipmates, in whom
they could place thorough confidence; they therefore left those who had
so long sailed with them with less regret than would have been the case
had they confided them to the charge of strangers. Notwithstanding the
distance they had to pull, their respective midshipmen begged leave to
man the boats which conveyed them on shore; and a few minutes after
landing they were seated in the railway-car, which rattled on through
the rich vegetation of the tropics, across the famed Isthmus to Colon