n London. The fact is, I had bin longing to take you
with me my next voyage, and it would have been handier to have you by me
here when we're getting ready for sea, but--but, the fact is, things
have taken a sudden turn, and--and--in short, circumstances have come
about that I can't speak of just now; only I'm not quite so sure about
going to sea as I was an hour ago. But you don't seem to jump at the
notion, Polly. Surely you'd have liked to go--wouldn't you?"

"Liked, father, of _course_. I should have been overjoyed to have gone
with you, but--but--the truth is," she said, with a little laugh and a
glance at O'Rook, "circumstances have come about that _I_ can't speak of
just now."

"Well, my pet," rejoined the captain, with a puzzled, anxious look,
"we'll _not_ talk about 'em. Now, you must know that I've got up a
small party to meet you here to-night, and expect you to do me credit.
The pastry-cook next door has undertaken to send in cakes, and tea, and
hot sausages, and buns, at a moment's notice. I expect his man here
every minute to lay out the spread. Now, who d'ee think are coming?
You'll never guess. There's Mr and Mrs John Jack, the father and
mother of Edwin Jack--you remember him, Polly? Philosopher Jack we used
to call him."

"Yes," replied Polly, in a low tone.

"Well, they happen to be in town just now with their family, and they're
all coming. Then there's my first mate, Simon O'Rook; he would be
coming, only he's come already, a full hour before his time! Then
there's a Mr Burr and a Mr Buckley, both returned from California with
fortunes--"

"A-rowlin' in gold," muttered O'Rook, in a low tone.

"You don't _really_ mean, father, that--"

"Yes I do, Polly. I mean that Baldwin Burr and Jacob Buckley are
coming. I met 'em only two days ago in the streets, going about in
chimney-pot hats and broadcloth like gentlemen--which they are, every
inch of 'em, if worth and well-doing and wisdom make the gentleman. So,
knowing you were to be here, I made 'em promise to come. Well, then,
there's your old friend Watty Wilkins, who, by the way, is engaged to be
married to Susan Trench. I tried to get Susan to come too, but she's
shy, and won't. Besides these, there's a doctor of medicine, whom I
think you have met before, a very rising young man--quite celebrated, I
may say. Got an enormous practice, and--"

The captain was interrupted by the rattle of wheels outside, and the
pulling up of