better one when the time came. That hit him on the raw, Humphrey my
boy; he went away fuming, and I don't think he will drive over to
see me again."

And then, being somewhat cheered by this recollection of his
victory over Sir Richard, he asked me how I had been faring. When
he learned that I was about to sail for the West Indies again, he
gave a gleeful chuckle.

"I wish you luck, my boy," he cried, slapping me on the back, "both
in love and war."

"Sir!" said I, conscious of flushed cheeks.

"Give Lucy my love," he said, "and remember, my lad, that 'tis a
very serious matter to marry a ward of court."

And then he chuckled and laughed again. Seeing that I had never so
much as hinted that any such idea as he suggested had entered my
head, I was somewhat taken aback by the old gentleman's
perspicacity; for if the truth must be told (and it will out,
sooner or later) I had quite resolved in my own mind that as soon
as I attained captain's rank, and had gained some store of prize
money, as I had no doubt I should do, I would endeavor to settle
Dick Cludde's hash so far as his matrimonial project was concerned.

"I will warn off all trespassers, sir," I said soberly in reply to
Mr. Allardyce's remark, and my answer seemed to give him great
delight.

Having said my farewells to my friends in Shrewsbury also, I
hastened back to my ship. We set sail in the last week of August,
being escorted down the channel by Sir George Rooke and Sir John
Munden with a large fleet. On the second of September we left Sir
George off Scilly, and on the twenty-eighth made St. Mary's, one of
the Azores, and remained there some eight days, during which Mr.
Benbow (who was now promoted vice admiral) called his flag officers
and captains together on board the Breda, his flagship, and
communicated to them his instructions. The junior officers and some
of the men were allowed to go in detachments for a few hours on
shore, and it was on one of these trips that I heard a piece of
news that interested me deeply.

I was strolling along with Mr. Venables when we encountered Joe
Punchard and a group of men from the Breda. Seeing me, he touched
his cap, and begged that he might have a few words with me in
private. I went aside with him, and he began:

"That there young lady, sir--wasn't she kin to Dick Cludde--Mr.
Lieutenant Cludde, begging his pardon?" (I had told Joe how 'twas
Mistress Lucy had saved me from a horse whipping when first I
a