sh merchants and the native residents of rank; a ball
being given by them in honour of the _Dragon's_ officers, at which Tom
lost his heart, as did several of his companions theirs.

"What, you don't mean to say you have forgotten the fair Feodorowna?"
said Archie, as Tom was expatiating on the beauty of the black-eyed
damsel who had attracted his admiration.

"Well, as you know, she is in another hemisphere, and as I never expect
to see her again, and she has probably forgotten me, I don't think I
ought to wear the willow for her any longer," said Tom; "and Dona
Seraphina is, you'll allow, very beautiful."

"Granted," answered Archie; "but as the ship sails tomorrow, and Dona
Seraphina will probably forget you in the course of a day or two, even
if she happens to distinguish you from the rest of us, you'll not, I
hope, break your heart about her."

"Not if we happen to touch at another port soon, and a ball is given to
us there," said Tom, with a demure look; "provided I have the luck to
meet a partner with attractions equal to Dona Seraphina's."

"You're all right, my lad," said Archie, clapping him on the back; "and
Mr Mildmay won't have to write your epitaph, `_Hic jacet_ Tom Rogers,
who died of a broken heart, etcetera, etcetera.'"

About three weeks after this the _Dragon_ entered the bay of Callao,
passing round the barren island of San Lorenzo, long the burying-place
of Protestants, who were denied sepulture on the mainland. At the
farther end of the plain, between the lofty Cordilleras and the shore,
could be seen the spires and fanes of Pizarro's "City of a thousand
towers and a hundred gates," while on the island were basking numbers of
drowsy seals and sea-lions with sleek skins and shaggy manes. The ship
came to an anchor about a mile from the mole, outside the
merchant-vessels. Jack had been looking out for the _Eolus_, and was
somewhat disappointed at not hearing of her at any of the ports at which
he had touched. As they had been ordered to cruise in company, he
determined to wait here for her. This gave an opportunity to several of
the officers to visit Lima. Those who went there pronounced the city a
very fine one, and declared that it was more worthy to be called the
Vale of Paradise than the Chilian town to the southward.

The ship had been there some days, when some time after sunset a
schooner was observed gliding into the harbour. She came to an anchor
among several other vessels whi