my belief
is that they will return home shortly, to make arrangements for an event
which is to come off early next month, which is no other than my
marriage with Julia Giffard. Adair has promised to be my best man; and
I know I may trust to your coming, admiral."

"Not unless Sir John and Lady Rogers consent to allow Adair to take a
leading part in another event of the same description; and I will now
tell you, Adair, what I've done. I have left you half my property,
provided you marry Lucy Rogers within six months--that is to say, if she
wishes to have you; or, in case you should decline, I have left it to
her to console her for your ill-treatment."

"You are indeed most kind and generous," exclaimed Adair, wringing the
admiral's hand.

"As to that, I don't know that it is any great exertion of generosity,"
answered the admiral; "considering that I can't take my money away with
me, and that I have no relative except Deborah to whom I am bound in any
way to leave it. She'll do what she thinks fit with the other half;
either will it away to a hospital for dogs and cats, or leave it to
those whom she thinks it may most benefit."

The meeting of Adair and Lucy need not be described. Murray and Jack
paid off their ships; when the former, instead of returning immediately,
as he had intended, to Bercaldine, accepted an invitation to spend some
weeks at Halliburton. The double marriages took place, when, after the
pleasantest time they had ever spent together, the three commanders
separated, Murray going with his wife and family to his Highland home,
where shortly afterwards Jack and Terence, who were on their wedding
tours, paid them a visit.

Ben Snatchblock, who had been appointed to the charge of the _Stella_,
had got her trim and taut as ever; and many a pleasant cruise did the
old shipmates take together on board her, sometimes accompanied by their
wives, and sometimes alone. Which proved the pleasantest trips of the
two we cannot venture to say, but undoubtedly on the latter occasions
there was more fun and frolic on board the craft; while many a yarn of
old days was spun, in which Ben took his part. They were all, indeed,
supremely happy, with no cares or responsibilities to trouble them; but
the pleasantest of times must come to an end, and again the old friends
parted, Jack and Terence going south with their brides, to finish their
promised round of visits, while Alick and Stella remained at Bercaldine,