e it added still more to the
darkness which gloomed away to the eastward of us. But presently, down
in the midst of the dusky blackness broad on our port quarter, I caught
a glimpse of a small, indeterminate shape of still deeper blackness,
then another, and another, and another, until I had counted ten of them;
and concentrating my gaze intently upon them, I felt sure I could
occasionally distinguish a small, evanescent, silvery gleam like that of
sea fire stirred into brilliance by the slow passage of a moving object
through the water.

"Yes," I exclaimed, pointing, "there they come, ten of them, if not
more. Have you any particular orders to give, madam, or will you leave
the defence of the ship to Mr Kennedy and me?"

"Why, of course I leave it to Kennedy--and you--to do the best you can,"
replied Mrs Vansittart. "I know nothing at all about fighting tactics;
and I shall not attempt to interfere. Further than that, I shall go
below--although I do not like the idea of quitting the deck at the
approach of an enemy--for I am sensible enough to recognise that I can
do no good up here, and should only be in the way. But, Walter, never,
under any circumstances whatever, again dream of turning a key upon me.
It was a most unwarrantable liberty, which not even such a crisis as
this can justify; and for a few minutes I was really furiously angry
with you. But I believe what you did was done with the very best of
intentions, so I will say no more about it. Now, here comes Kennedy, so
I will just say a word or two to him, and then go. Take care of
yourself, my dear boy, and see that you do not get hurt."

There was no time for me to express my gratitude to the lady for her
exceeding kindness in thus overlooking what at best could only be
described as a serious error of judgment--although, even so, I could not
refrain from reminding myself that the fault originated with Monroe--for
at that moment the first mate came bounding up the poop ladder,
struggling into his jacket as he came.

"Whoopee!" he shouted, as he reached the level of the poop. "What did I
tell ye, bhoy? Where are the shpalpeens? Show 'em to me--Oh! beg your
pardon, ma'am; I didn't expect to find you here--"

"Where did you expect I should be, then, pray, Mr Kennedy?" demanded
the skipper. "Hiding in the shaft tunnel, I suppose--"

"By the piper! ye might be in a worse place than that same, ma'am. Up
here, for instance," interrupted Kennedy. B