yacht rolled
gracefully from side to side on the gentle heave of the Mediterranean's
bosom.

Sitting on a rug on the deck, between my mother and Nicholas, Bella
said, in a low quiet tone, "This is perfect felicity."

"Agreed," said Nicholas, in a similar tone, with a puff from his cigar.

Bella referred to the calm, of course!

A sea-captain, sitting astride the bulwarks of his ship in the
"Doldrums," far far away from Bella, said, in reference to a similar
calm which had beset him for three weeks, "This is perfectly maddening,"
with many other strong expressions which we would rather not record; but
Bella, of course, did not know that, and could not be expected to
reflect on it. She was taken up with her own comforts at the time.

"My dear," said Mrs Childers, "I think I shall go to bed. Come with
me. Good-night, Nicholas. Will you keep the skylight off to-night,
Jeffry? It was too hot in our cabin last night."

"Of course I will," said I; "why did you not ring, and let me know that
you would like fresh air? But I shall see to it to-night."

About eleven o'clock that night, I lay on one of the lockers of the main
cabin, in a wakeful mood. Nicholas lay on the other locker, in that
profound slumber which is so characteristic of healthy youth. His
regular breathing was the only sound I heard, except the soft footfall
of our skipper, as he slowly paced the deck.

Presently I heard another step. It advanced, and a low "Fine night,
sir," apprised me that it was Lancey, who had come on deck to air
himself after the culinary and other labours of the day, for he served
in the capacity of cook and steward to the yacht.

"I wish you'd tell me about that expedition you was speakin' off to the
master this morning," said Lancey.

"With pleasure," replied the skipper; "sit down here, and I'll spin it
off to you right away."

I knew by the sound of their motions that they had seated themselves at
the foot of the main-mast, just between the skylights of the two cabins,
and feared that their talk might disturb my mother; but, reflecting that
she must have got to sleep long ago, I thought it better not to disturb
them, unless their talk should become too loud. As for myself, in my
wakeful mood, their converse could not annoy me. After a time it began
to interest me deeply.

"It was about the blowing-up of Southern ironclads, was it not?" said
the skipper. As he spoke I could distinctly hear the puff, puff, of h