out as happy as four people can be.
Some day we may all come to live together again, and then our delight
will be perfect.

"I got Jim's letter which you sent me.... Sam and his partner are
embarking every sixpence they can spare in buying town and suburban
lots at Melbourne. I know every street and alley in that wonderful city
(containing near a hundred houses) on the map, but I am not very likely
to go there ever. Let us hope that Sam's speculations will turn out
profitable.

"Best love to Mr. Hamlyn." ...

I must make a note to this letter. Alice refers to a letter received
from Jim, which, as near as I can make the dates agree, must be the one
I hold in my hand at this moment. I am not sure, but I think so. This
one runs--

"Dear Dad, ... I have been down among the dead men, and since then up
into the seventh heaven, in consequence of being not only gazetted, but
promoted. The beggars very nearly did for us. All our fortifications,
the prettiest things ever done under the circumstances, executed under
Bobby's own eye, were thrown down by--what do you think?--an
earthquake! Perhaps we didn't swear--Lord forgive us! Akbar had a shy
at us immediately, but got a most immortal licking!

"Is not this a most wonderful thing about Halbert? The girl that he was
to be married to was supposed to be lost, coming out in the Assam. And
now it appears that she wasn't lost at all (the girl I mean, not the
ship), but that she was wrecked on the east coast of Madagascar, and
saved, with five and twenty more. She came on to Calcutta, and they
were married the week after he got his troop. She is uncommonly
handsome and ladylike, but looks rather brown and lean from living on
birds' nests and sea-weed for above six months of her life."

[Allow me to remark that this must be romance on Jim's part; birds'
nests and trepang are not found in Madagascar.]

"My wound is nearly all right again. It was only a prick with a spear
in my thigh--"

It is the very deuce editing these old letters without anything to
guide one. As far as I can make out by myself (Jim being now down at
Melton hunting, and not having answered my letter of inquiries), this
letter must have come accompanied by an Indian newspaper containing the
account of some battle or campaign in which he was engaged. Putting
this and that together, I am inclined to believe that it refers to the
defence of Jellalabad by Sir Robert Sale, in which I know he was
engaged. I form t