ccasions indeed in this
world when one dares lay bare his soul and feelings even to his best
friends.

The day after M'Hearty's visit to Jack, the young post-captain, with his
friend Tom Fairlie, was just finishing breakfast, when in dashed the
general. Next minute his son was pressed against his breast just as if
he had been a child.

Jack had spilt his tea and knocked over a chair in his hurry to get to
his father; but what did that matter? So there they stood looking at
each other for a moment, the tears in both their eyes.

Maybe the old general was a trifle ashamed of such weakness, for next
moment he burst into a merry laugh.

"Why, Jack, my brave boy," he cried, "there are only two arms between
the pair of us. But yours will get well; mine, alas, is in the grave!"

Flora came up now, and Jack seemed delighted to see her.

"And here," he said, "here, Flora, is the best friend I have in the
world--Tom Fairlie.--Nay, never blush, Tom, my brother.--He it was,
Flora, who helped to take me below after I got hit; and when even the
surgeon--grand old fellow M'Hearty! father, you shall know him--gave me
up, Tom stuck to me, and he has been nursing me ever since as if I were
a child. Ah, Flora, there is no friendship on earth so true, and no
love either, as that man bears for man."

Jack looked at his sister as he spoke, and that glance told her he knew
all.

"Father, I had almost forgotten to tell you of my espousal."

"Espousal, Jack! You astonish me; it can't be true!"

"Oh, but it is."

He picked his sword off the couch as he spoke and held it out to his
father.

"Let me present my bride," he said, laughing.

The general himself could laugh now.

"So pleased, so pleased! But, 'pon honour, you young rascal, you pretty
nearly took your old father's breath away. Married! bless my soul, talk
about that thirty years hence; and blame me, Jack, but that itself might
be too soon.

"So you knocked the French about a bit? Well done, Jack; and well done,
Lieutenant Fairlie."

"Oh," said the young sailor, laughing, "they always call me Tom."

"Well, Tom," said the general, holding out his hand, "you and my brave
lad fought nobly; but bless my heart, he wouldn't be a true Mackenzie if
he couldn't fight. So you gave it to the Froggies hot, eh? I knew you
would. Second only to the British army is the British navy, lads."

"And second only to the British navy, father, is the British army."

"Bravo! _esprit de