ope to deserve that, at least," answered Captain Fancourt.

"You are worth tons of that article, or the admiral's despatches greatly
overpraise you," observed Sir Reginald, laughing at his own joke. "I
remember reading with great delight the gallant way in which, after your
captain was wounded, you fought the _Hector_ on your voyage home from
the West Indies, when she was attacked by two 40-gun French frigates.
You had not, I fancy, half as many men, or as many guns mounted, as
either one of them, while, in addition to their crews, they were full of
troops, yet you beat them off when they attempted to board; and though
they had pretty well knocked your ship to pieces, you compelled them to
make sail away from you, leaving you to your fate. If I recollect
rightly, you bore up for Halifax with more than half your crew killed
and wounded."

"You give me more credit than is my due, Sir Reginald," observed Captain
Fancourt, "I was but a young lieutenant, though I did my duty. Captain
Drury fought the ship, and we should all have lost our lives had not we
fallen in with the _Hawk_ brig, which rescued us just as the old
_Hector_ sank under our feet."

"Well, well, when our enemies find out that it is the fashion of English
sailors to fight till their ship goes down, they will be chary of
attacking them with much hopes of victory."

While the baronet was speaking, Harry had taken his seat next to a
pretty dark-eyed young girl, giving her a kiss on the cheek and at the
same time a pat on the back, a familiarity to which his sister Julia was
well accustomed from her sailor brother, who entertained the greatest
admiration and affection for her.

"You should not treat the demoiselle in that mode at table, Monsieur
Harry," observed a lady who was sitting on his other side.

"I beg your pardon, Madame De La Motte, I ought, I confess, to have paid
my respects to you first."

"Ah, you are mediant, incorrigible," said the lady, in broken English,
laughing as she spoke.

"No, I am only very hungry, so you will excuse me if I swallow a few
mouthfuls before we discuss that subject," said Harry, applying himself
to the plate of chicken and ham which the footman had just placed before
him. "I'm afraid that you think I have forgotten my manners as well as
the French you taught me before I went to sea. But I hope to prove to
you that I retain a fair amount of both," and Harry began to address the
lady in French. When he misprono