of crimson and gold that
nearly stretched up to the zenith, lighting up the spars of the ships
and making their hulls glow again with a ruddy radiance while touching
up the brass-work and metal about them with sparks of flame.

Still, I did not tire of standing there at the window of the old
"Keppel's Head," looking out on the harbour in front, with the wherries
plying to and fro and men-of-war's boats going off at intervals with
belated officers to their respective ships.

Until, by-and-by the Warner lightship, afar out at sea beyond Spithead,
and the Nab light beyond her again, could be seen twinkling in the
distance, while the moon presently rose in the eastern sky right over
Fort Cumberland; and then, all at once, there was a sudden flash, which,
coming right in front of me, dazzled my eyes like lightning.

This was followed by a single but very startling "Bang!" that thundered
out from the flagship, which, swinging round with the outgoing ebb tide,
was now lying almost athwart stream, with her high, square stern gallery
overhanging the sloping shore below the hotel, looking as if the old
craft had taken the ground and fired the gun that had startled us as a
signal of distress--so, at least, with the vivid imagination of boyhood,
thought I!

"Goodness gracious me!" exclaimed my mother, almost jumping out of her
chair at the unexpected report and making me jump, too, by her hurried
movement towards the window where I stood, "what is the matter, Jack?"

"Nothing to be alarmed about, my dear," said Dad soothingly to her. "It
is only the admiral tumbled down the hatchway."

"Dear, dear," replied poor mother in a voice full of the deepest
sympathy, "I hope the old gentleman has not hurt himself much. He must
have fallen rather heavily!"

Dad roared with laughter at her innocent mistake.

"You'll kill me some day, I think, my dear," said he when he was able to
speak, after having his laugh out. "I only used an old nautical
expression which you must have heard before, I'm sure. We always say
that on board ship when the nine-o'clock gun is fired!"

"Oh!" rejoined mother, a little bit crossly at being made fun of. "I do
wish, Frank, you would explain what you mean next time beforehand,
instead of puzzling people with your old sailor talk, which nobody can
understand!"

"Humph!" said Dad; but, presently, I saw mother put out her hand and
tenderly touch him on the shoulder, as if to tell him that her temporary