bright crossing the
deck caught my eye like a flash of light, and I heard the sound of light
and hurried footsteps.

Wheeling round hastily I was amazed at the beautiful object that met my
gaze, for I saw standing there, only a pace or two off, a lovely young
girl, with a profusion of long silky hair of a bright golden hue, that
streamed in a tangled mass over her shoulders, and reaching down almost
to her feet.

"My father, my dear father!" she exclaimed in broken and ecstatic tones,
her voice sounding to me like the soft cooing of a dove, as she flew and
nestled herself into the outstretched arms of the colonel, who had also
turned round at her approach, some sympathetic feeling having warned him
of her coming, telling him who it was even before he saw her.

"Oh, my father! my father! At last, at last!"

And then, unable to control herself longer, she burst into a passion of
tears and sobs.

Colonel Vereker, on his part, was equally overcome.

"God be thanked!" cried he, raising his face to heaven, clasping her at
the same time fondly to his heart and kissing her trembling lips again
and again. "My darling one, my own little daughter, whom I thought I
had lost for ever, but whom the good God has preserved to be the delight
of my eyes again, my little one, my precious!"

For a few minutes I too had a lump in my throat, but turned aside, and
then, not wishing to appear to be observing them, I left them alone and
went off to another part of the ship.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

HORS DE COMBAT.

A grand hurrah just then burst forth from the deck below us, where the
skipper and most of the men were massed, telling as plainly as
triumphant cheer could tell, that the fight was ended, and that victory
had crowned our arms with success. I rushed back to tell the colonel.

On hearing my footsteps, however, little Elsie turned round and caught
sight of me.

"Oh, my father!" said she, untwining herself from the colonel's embrace,
though she still nestled up close to him, as she stared at me shyly,
with a puzzled look on her mignonne face. "Why, who is this young sir,
my father? I seem to know him, and yet I do not remember having ever
seen him before!"

"Look at him again, darling one," said her father, petting her
caressingly, while another hearty cheer went up from the hands in the
waist. "He is Senor Dick Haldane, a gallant young gentleman whom you
must thank, my little daughter, for having saved my life.