osed in some time, and all was tranquil on board, when I
saw Halkett, as was his custom, going aft to the cabin, where he always
remained for an hour or more each evening. It was just then, I know not
how the notion occurred, but it struck me that if I could lower myself
over the side, I might be able to creep through the little window into
the state-room, and carry away the paper to finish it before morning. I
lost little time in setting about my plot; and having made fast a rope
to one of the clews, I lowered myself fearlessly over the gunwale, and
pushing open the little sash, which was unfastened, I soon managed to
insert my head and shoulders, and, without any difficulty dragging my
body slowly after, entered the state-room. So long as the danger of the
enterprise and its difficulty lasted, so long my courage was high and
my heart fearless; but when I sat down in the little dark room, scarcely
venturing to breathe, lest I should be overheard, almost afraid to touch
the papers on the table, lest their rustling noise should betray me, how
was this terror increased when I actually heard the voices of Sir Dudley
and Halkett as plainly as though I were in the cabin beside them!

"And so, Halkett," said Sir Dudley, "you think this expedition will be
as fruitless as the others?"

"I do, sir," said the other, in a low, dogged tone.

"And yet you were the very man who encouraged me to make it!"

"And what of that? Of two things, I thought it more likely that he
should be the leader of a band to a regiment in Canada than be a Faquino
on the Mole of Genoa. A fellow like him could scarcely fall so low as
that."

"He shall fall lower, by Heaven, if I live!" said Sir Dudley, in a voice
rendered guttural with deep passion.

"Take care you fall not with him, sir," said Halkett, in a tone of
warning.

"And if I should,--for what else have I lived these three last years? In
that pursuit have I perilled health and life, satisfied to lose both if
I but succeed at last."

"And how do you mean to proceed? For, assuredly, if he be attached
to the regiment at Kingstown, he 'll hear of you, from some source or
other. You remember when we all but had him at Torlosk, and yet he
heard of our coming before we got two posts from Warsaw; and again,
at 'Forli,' we had scarce dropped anchor off Rimini when he was up and
away."

"I 'll go more secretly to work this time, Halkett; hitherto I have been
slow to think the fellow a coward. It