ughing--the admiral shouted--the old post-captain
swore--and I, not knowing one word of all that was happening behind my
back, worked away for the bare life, till the two footmen, at a signal
from the admiral, laid hold of me by main force, and dragged me away,
the perspiration dripping from my forehead, and my uniform all in rags
by the exertion.

[Illustration: 346]

"'Get away as fast as you can, sir,' whispered old B., 'and thank God
if your day's work only puts you at the end of the list.' I followed the
counsel--I don't know how--I never could recollect one event from that
moment till I awoke the next morning at my aunt's cottage at Blackwall,
and saw my coat in tatters, and the one epaulette hanging by a thread;
then I remembered my blessed invention, and I think I showed good pluck
by not going clean out of my mind."

There was an earnestness in poor Sickleton's manner that effectually
repressed any mirth on Cashel's part--indeed, his sense of the ludicrous
gave way before his feeling of sorrow for the hard fortune of the man
without a friend. In the partial civilization of the far west, personal
prowess and energy were always enough to secure any man's success; but
here, each day's experience taught him how much was to be laid to the
score of family--of fortune--name--address--and the thousand other
accessories of fortune. He had just begun to express his wonder that
Sickleton had never tried life in the New World, when the mate appeared
at the cabin-door to say that a shore boat was rowing out to the yacht.

A movement of impatience broke from Sickleton. "More of 'em, I suppose,"
cried he; "we've had such a lot of sight-seers this morning, since we
dropped anchor! most of them affecting to be intimate friends of yours,
and all so well acquainted with your habits of life, that I should have
become perfectly informed on every particular of your private history
only by listening."

"The chances are," broke in Cashel, "I did not personally know a man
amongst them."

"I half suspect as much. They spoke far too confidently to be authentic.
One would have it you were half ruined already, and had got the yacht
over to clear away, and be off. Another, that you were going to be
married to a lady with an immense fortune,--a rumor contradicted by a
third saying it was an attorney's daughter without a shilling."

"There's a lady, I see, sir, coming on board," said the mate, putting in
his head once more.

"I 'd s