cal
intelligence which he had just received, and this engaged us till the
dinner was over, and I returned to the counting-house, where I found the
men who had brought in the prize, and who gave me a letter from Philip,
stating that his wound was of no consequence.

The communication of Mr Trevannion took place, as his daughter had
assured me it would, on the anniversary of my entering into Mr
Trevannion's counting-house. After dinner, as we, as usual, were
smoking our pipes, Mr Trevannion said: "Elrington, you have been with
me now one year, and during that time you have made yourself fully
master of your business;--much to my surprise, I acknowledge, but still
more to my satisfaction. That I have every reason to be satisfied with
you, you may imagine, when I tell you that it is now my intention to
take you into partnership, and I trust by my so doing that you will soon
be an independent man. You know the capital in the business as well as
I do. I did say an eighth, but I now propose to make ever to you
one-fourth, and to allow your profits of every year (deducting your
necessary expenses) to be invested in the business, until you have
acquired a right to one half. Of future arrangements we will speak
hereafter."

"Mr Trevannion," replied it, "that I am truly grateful for such
unexpected liberality I hardly need say, and you have my best thanks for
your noble offer; but I have scruples which, I must confess, I cannot
get over."

"Scruples!" exclaimed Mr Trevannion, laying down his pipe on the table.
"Oh! I see now," continued he, after a pause; "you think I am robbing
my daughter. No, no, the labourer is worthy of his hire, and she will
have more than sufficient. You carry your conscientiousness too far, my
dear fellow; I have more than enough for Amy, out of the business
altogether."

"I am aware of that, Sir," added I, "and I did not, therefore, refer to
your daughter when I said that I had scruples. I must be candid with
you, Sir. How is it that I am now in your employ?"

"Why, because you had a dislike to privateering, and I had a debt of
gratitude to pay."

"Exactly, Sir; but whether you had been pleased to employ me or not, I
had made up my mind, as you well know, from conscientious motives, not
to continue on board of a privateer."

"Well, I grant that."

"The same motives, Sir, will not allow me to be a sharer in the profits
arising from such sources. I should consider myself equally wrong