ng the other mids that he had not one worth his salt, now
that you were gone. And now that you have come back and gained so much
credit for what has passed, I do really think that the captain is proud
of you. I overheard a little conversation between the captain and first
lieutenant the day you came on board, after you had been in the cabin
telling your adventures, and all that I can say is, that the game is in
your own hands, if you only play your cards well, and never let Captain
Delmar have the least idea that you know that you have such claims upon
him."

"That I certainly will not," replied I, "as it might check his feeling
towards me."

"Exactly: I've often thought about you, and now that I like you so much,
I watch the captain for your sake, and listen particularly to what he
says after dinner especially, when I've the opportunity; for you see,
when gentlemen drink wine, they speak more freely as to what they really
think, just as we foremast-men do when we get our grog on board. The
greatest misfortune which could happen to you in your position would be,
the captain marrying and having children on the right side of the
blanket as they call it. Now I've often heard the captain express a
dislike to matrimony, and laugh at people's getting married, which has
pleased me very much for your sake, Master Percival. You see, a man
don't think much of marrying after forty, and the captain must be fifty,
if not more."

"Yes: but if his brother dies--and he is a very infirm man--the captain
will then be Viscount de Versely, and inherit very large estates, and
then he will marry to have an heir to the title and estates even if
there is no love in the case."

"So he may," replied Cross--"there's no saying; but still, even if he
does, it ain't certain that he has a family; chickens must not be
counted before they are hatched. All you have to pray for then is, that
the brother may prove as tough as our old admirals, whose senses get
tired of staying any longer in their bodies, and leave them long before
their hulks are worn out."

"Why do admirals live so long?"

"Well, I suppose it is for the same reason that salt meat keeps so much
longer than fresh; they have been forty or fifty years with the salt
spray washing in their faces and wetting their jackets, and so in time,
d'ye see, they become as it were pickled with brine. Talking about
that, how long will it be before you get that tanning off you?"

"I don't k