minds to quarrel with the Turks, and take possession of Constantinople.
They have been for some time past badgering them about the Holy Places,
and insisting that their co-religionists are ill-treated by the
Moslems,--not that they really care about the matter,--and that is
sufficient to convince anyone who has got his weather-eye open that they
only want a pretext for war, decent or indecent. The news has just
arrived, though it has not yet been made public, that we should be
suspicious of the designs of Louis Napoleon, who has so wonderfully been
transmogrified into an emperor--though for my part, I believe that no
ruler of France has ever been more friendly disposed towards us, and the
Russians will find that they are mistaken in wishing to set us by the
ears. That Prince Menzikoff, their ambassador to the Porte, has
presented the ultimatum of the Russian Government, which means war, for
the Turks are certain not to knock under; and we and the French would
not let them, if they thought of doing so. The Russians intend to
invade Turkey with all possible despatch; indeed, they have an army all
ready to throw across the frontier. Menzikoff will be away from
Constantinople in the course of a day or two, and then the business will
begin. Our Government intends to send a fleet through the Dardanelles
without delay, and as the Russians have no small number of ships in the
Black Sea, we may hope to have a brush with them. I wish you were here,
Jack, to take a part in whatever goes on; and I am glad to find that
your ship is ordered home, so that there is a chance of your being in
time; you will not let the grass grow under your feet; and as you can
steam through the calm latitudes, we may hope to see you here before
long. I never liked steamers, but they have their advantages, there's
no doubt about that. In the meantime, I'll use all the influence I
possess to get you a craft you'll like; and as I fancy that more work is
to be done in a steam-vessel than in a sailing-ship, I'll try and get
one for you."

The admiral's letter contained a good deal more in his usual style of
chit-chat; Mrs Murray had gone to stay with her friend Lucy at
Halliburton Hall, though he expected both of them back again, and hoped
that they would be with him when Jack arrived. Jack showed the letter
to Terence, who sighed when he read it.

"What's the matter?" asked Jack.

"I'm only thinking that an unlucky dog like myself, who has lost h