his mother,
happy in the lightening of her anxiety as to the future of her
daughters, and as to the prospects of her son, was able to bear with
better heart the thought of their long separation.

Mrs. Marryat and the girls accompanied him on board ship. Mr. Tufton
declined to join the party, under the plea that, in the first place,
he was busy; and in the second, that he feared there would be an
emotional display. He sent, however, his head clerk with them, to
escort the ladies on their return from the docks.

The Lizzie Anderson was a fine ship, of the largest size, and she was
almost as clean and trim as a man of war. She carried twelve cannon,
two of them thirty-two pounders, which were in those days considered
large pieces of ordnance. All the ships of the Company, and, indeed,
all ocean-going merchantmen of the day, were armed, as the sea swarmed
with privateers, and the black flag of the pirates was still
occasionally to be seen.

The girls were delighted with all they saw, as, indeed, was Charlie;
for accustomed, as they were, only to the coasting vessels which
frequented the port of Yarmouth, this floating castle appeared to them
a vessel of stupendous size and power.

This was Charlie's first visit, also, to the ship, for his uncle had
told him that all directions had been given, that the trunks with the
things necessary for the voyage would be found in his cabin, at the
time of starting, and the rest of the luggage in the hold. Everything
was in order, and Charlie found that his cabin companion was a doctor
in the service, returning to Madras. He was a pleasant man, of some
five or six and thirty, and assured Mrs. Marryat that he would soon
make her son at home on board ship, and would, moreover, put him up to
the ways of things upon his arrival in India. There were many visitors
on board, saying goodbye to their friends, and all sat down to lunch,
served in the saloon.

When this was over, the bell rang for visitors to go ashore. There was
a short scene of parting, in which Charlie was not ashamed to use his
handkerchief as freely as did his mother and sisters. Five minutes
later, the great vessel passed through the dock gates. Charlie stood
at the stern, waving his handkerchief as long as he could catch a
glimpse of the figures of his family; and then as, with her sails
spread and the tide gaining strength every minute beneath her, the
vessel made her way down the river, he turned round to examine his