e lurk I;" but fortunately she
remembered that other parties might not exactly participate in her
delight. Out of respect for her father's feelings, she therefore put on
a grave countenance, in sad contrast with her eyes, which joy had
brilliantly lighted up.

"Well, it's a bad business," continued old Hornblow. "Wilmott!" (The
clerk heard his master's voice, and came in.) "Bring me the ledger. Let
me see--_Belle Susanne_--I wonder why the fool called her by that name,
as if I had not one already to take money out of my pocket. Oh! here it
is--folio 59 continued, folio 100, 129, 147,--not balanced since April
last year. Be quick, and strike me out a rough balance-sheet of the
lugger."

"But what does Captain McElvina say, father?"

"What does he say? Why, that he is taken. Haven't I told you so
already, girl?" replied old Hornblow, in evident ill-humour.

"Yes, but the particulars, my dear father!"

"Oh, there's only the fact, without particulars--says he will write more
fully in a day or two."

"I'll answer for him, that it was not his fault, father--he has always
done you justice."

"I did not say that he had not; I'm only afraid that success has made
him careless--it's always the case."

"Yes," replied Susan, taking up the right cue; "as you say, father, he
has been very successful."

"He has," replied the old man, recovering his serenity a little, "very
successful indeed. I dare say it was not his fault."

The clerk soon made his appearance with the rough balance-sheet
required. It did more to restore the good humour of the old man than
even the soothing of his daughter.

"Oh! here we are--_La Belle Susanne_--Debtor to ---. Total, 14,864
pounds, 14 shillings, 3 pence. Contra--Credit. 27,986 pounds, 16
shillings, 8 pence. Balance to profit and loss, 13,122 pounds, 2
shillings, 5 pence. Well, that's not so very bad in less than three
years. I think I may afford to lose her."

"Why, father," replied Susan, leaning over his shoulder, and looking
archly at him, "'tis a fortune in itself; to a contented person."

But as, independently of McElvina's letter not being sufficiently
explicit, there are other circumstances connected with his capture that
are important to our history, we shall ourselves narrate the
particulars.

For more than two years, McElvina, by his dexterity and courage, and the
fast sailing of his vessel, had escaped all his pursuers, and regularly
landed his cargoes. Dur