nt Priscilla,--all diamonds an' jewels, an'
he wants you to please let him put it on your finger--if you
don't mind."

"And--here it is!" said the Sergeant, and gave it into her hand.

Miss Priscilla stood very silent, and very still, looking down at the
glittering gems, then, all at once, her eyes filled, and a slow wave of
colour dyed her cheeks:

"Oh Sergeant!" she said, very softly, "Oh Sergeant, I am only a poor,
old woman--with a lame foot!"

"And I am a poor, old soldier--with only one arm, Priscilla."

"You are the strongest, and gentlest, and bravest soldier in all the
world, I think!" she answered.

"And you, Priscilla, are the sweetest, and most beautiful _woman_ in the
world, I _know!_ And so--I've loved you all these years, and--never
dared to tell you so, because of my--one arm."

"Why then," said Miss Priscilla, smiling up at him through her tears,
"if you do--really--think that,--why,--it's this finger, Sergeant!"

So the Sergeant, very clumsily, perhaps, because he had but the one
hand, slipped the ring upon the finger in question. And Porges, Big, and
Small, turning to glance back, as they went upon their way saw that he
still held that small white hand pressed close to his lips.

CHAPTER XXII

_Coming events cast their shadows before_

"I s'pose they'll be marrying each other, one of these fine days!" said
Small Porges as they crossed the meadow, side by side.

"Yes, I expect so, Shipmate," nodded Bellew, "and may they live long,
and die happy, say I."

"Aye, aye, Captain,--an' Amen!" returned Small Porges.

Now as they went, conversing of marriage, and ships, and the wonders,
and marvels of foreign lands,--they met with Adam who stared up at the
sky and muttered to himself, and frowned, and shook his head.

"Good arternoon, Mr. Belloo sir,--an' Master Georgy!"

"Well, Adam, how are the hops?"

"'Ops sir,--there never was such 'ops,--no, not in all Kent, sir. All
I'm wishin' is that they was all safe picked, an' gathered. W'ot do you
make o' them clouds, sir,--over there,--jest over the p'int o' the
oast-house?"

Bellew turned, and cast a comprehensive, sailor-like glance in the
direction indicated.

"Rain, Adam, and wind,--and plenty of it!" said he.

"Ah! so I think, sir,--driving storm, and thrashing tempest!"

"Well, Adam?"

"Well, sir,--p'raps you've never seen w'ot driving rain, an' raging
wind, can do among the 'op-bines, sir. All I wish is that they 'ops was
al