years, but he had no unmanly
dread of his end. Still he felt it could not be very distant, having
already numbered fourscore and four years. Nevertheless, there were
certain phrases of usage, that Dutton did not see fit to forget on such
an occasion, and he answered accordingly, turning to look at and admire
the still ruddy countenance of the baronet, by way of giving emphasis to
his words.

"You will yet see half of us into our graves, Sir Wycherly," he said,
"and still remain an active man. Though I dare say another half century
will bring most of us up. Even Mr. Thomas, here, and your young namesake
can hardly hope to run out more line than that. Well, as for myself, I
only desire to live through this war, that I may again see His Majesty's
arms triumphant; though they do tell me that we are in for a good thirty
years' struggle. Wars _have_ lasted as long as _that_, Sir Wycherly, and
I don't see why this may not, as well as another."

"Very true, Dutton; it is not only possible, but probable; and I trust
both you and I may live to see our flower-hunter here, a post-captain,
at least--though it would be wishing almost too much to expect to see
him an admiral. There has been _one_ admiral of the name, and I confess
I should like to see another!"

"Has not Mr. Thomas a brother in the service?" demanded the master; "I
had thought that my lord, the judge, had given us one of his young
gentlemen."

"He thought of it; but the army got both of the boys, as it turned out.
Gregory was to be the midshipman; my poor brother intending him for a
sailor from the first, and so giving him the name that was once borne by
the unfortunate relative we lost by shipwreck. I wished him to call one
of the lads James, after St. James; but, somehow, I never could persuade
Thomas to see all the excellence of that pious young man."

Dutton was a little embarrassed, for St. James had left any thing but a
godly savour behind him; and he was about to fabricate a tolerably bold
assertion to the contrary, rather than incur the risk of offending the
lord of the manor, when, luckily, a change in the state of the fog
afforded him a favourable opportunity of bringing about an apposite
change in the subject. During the whole of the morning the sea had been
invisible from the head-land, a dense body of vapour resting on it, far
as eye could reach; veiling the whole expanse with a single white cloud.
The lighter portions of the vapour had at first floa