lieved; "sure I'll do
it with all the pleasure in life.--Clear the deck, boys!"

And without more ado the lively tar began to whistle a sailor's
hornpipe, and to dance the same with an amount of vigorous dexterity
that had in former years made him the favourite of the forecastle.

The surprise soon merged into admiration, for our hero danced
exceedingly well, and all eyes were attracted to him. Among others the
British consul came forward to look on with much interest and curiosity,
for his ear was perhaps the only one present to which the tune whistled
was familiar.

Dancing close up to him, Ted Flaggan suddenly slipped, and, staggering
as if about to fall, flung his arm over the consul's shoulder.

"Take care!" said the latter, catching him.

"Och!" gasped Ted, sinking down and almost dragging the other after him,
"spake to me av ye love me."

Amazed by this tender appeal, and suddenly suspecting the personality of
the boar, the consul bent down while the rest of the onlookers crowded
round,--and said in a low voice--

"Why, Flag--"

"Whist! whist! blood an thunder! it'll rain scimitars an' grape-shot av
ye say a word! Mate me in the gardin' dear, _under the palm_."

This was said in the midst of a writhing and growling which would have
done credit to a lunatic boar, if such there were!

"Not hurt, I hope?" said the French consul, coming forward.

"Not at all," replied Colonel Langley, rising with a smile, "the fellow
is one of my domestics, and has almost over-acted his part. He will be
all right in a minute if some one will be kind enough to fetch him a
glass of water--"

"An' brandy, ochone!" exclaimed the boar, with another tremendous growl,
that again sent the children into shouts of delight.

The brandy and water was brought, and Ted making a polite bow to the
company, passed down the room with a slight tremor of the hornpipe in
his legs, and a faint trill of the tune on his lips, both of which
melted gradually into a boarish grunt and roll as he reached the lobby
and passed out into the garden.

Hastening to a stately date-palm, of which there happened to be only one
specimen in the garden of the French residence, the heated seaman pushed
off his head, wiped his brow, drank the brandy and water, and threw away
the tumbler, after which he sat down on a root, mechanically pulled out
his pipe, and was in the act of filling it when Colonel Langley came
hurriedly forwards.

"Why, Flaggan," he a