ou have come in
these last three years.'

'Well, that proves I keep to my promise, anyhow.'

'Yes; but you never go any further.'

'I can't spare him, Jeannette, that is the real truth,' said the
captain; 'but wait a little--in the meantime, here is a five-franc piece
to add to your _petite fortune_.'

'_Merci bien, monsieur le capitaine; bon voyage!_' Jeannette held her
finger up to Corbett, saying, with a smile, '_mechant!_' and then
quitted the room.

'Come, Morrison, help us to empty this bottle, and then we will all go
on board.'

'I wish that girl wouldn't come here with her nonsensical dreams,' said
Morrison, taking his seat; 'I don't like it. When she said that we
should be taken by a revenue cutter, I was looking at a blue and a white
pigeon sitting on the wall opposite; and I said to myself, Now, if that
be a warning, I will see: if the _blue_ pigeon flies away first, I shall
be in jail in a week; if the _white_, I shall be back here.'

'Well?' said Pickersgill, laughing.

'It wasn't well,' answered Morrison, tossing off his wine, and putting
the glass down with a deep sigh; 'for the cursed _blue_ pigeon flew away
immediately.'

'Why, Morrison, you must have a chicken heart to be frightened at a blue
pigeon!' said Corbett, laughing, and looking out of the window; 'at all
events, he has come back again, and there he is sitting by the white
one.'

'It's the first time that ever I was called chicken-hearted,' replied
Morrison in wrath.

'Nor do you deserve it, Morrison,' replied Pickersgill; 'but Corbett is
only joking.'

'Well, at all events, I'll try my luck in the same way, and see whether
I am to be in jail: I shall take the blue pigeon as my bad omen, as you
did.'

[Illustration: _Jeannette held her finger up to Corbett, saying, with a
smile,_ 'mechant!' _and then quitted the room_]

The sailors and Captain Pickersgill all rose and went to the window, to
ascertain Corbett's fortune by this new species of augury. The blue
pigeon flapped his wings, and then he sidled up to the white one; at
last, the white pigeon flew off the wall and settled on the roof of the
adjacent house. 'Bravo, white pigeon!' said Corbett; 'I shall be here
again in a week.' The whole party, laughing, then resumed their seats;
and Morrison's countenance brightened up. As he took the glass of wine
poured out by Pickersgill, he said, 'Here's your health, Corbett; it was
all nonsense, after all--for, d'ye see, I can't be