hotel. The surgeon was sent for, and my wound was not
dangerous. The ball had gone deep into my thigh, but had missed any
vessel of magnitude. It was extracted, and I was left quiet in bed.
Colonel Delmar came up to me as before, but I received his professions
with great coolness. I told him that I thought it would be prudent of
him to disappear until the affair had blown over; but he declared to me
that he would remain with me at every risk. Shortly afterwards, Captain
Green came into my room, and said, "I'm sure, Captain Keene, you will be
glad to hear that Major Stapleton is not dead. He had swooned, and is
now come to, and the doctor thinks favourably of him."

"I am indeed very glad, Captain Green; for I had no animosity against
the major, and his conduct to me has been quite incomprehensible."

After inquiry about my wound, and expressing a hope that I should soon
be well, Captain Green left; but I observed that he took no further
notice of Colonel Delmar than a haughty salute as he quitted the room;
and then, to my surprise, Colonel Delmar said that, upon consideration,
he thought it would be advisable for him to go away for a certain time.

"I agree with you," replied I; "it would be better." I said this,
because I did not wish his company; for it at once struck me as very
strange that he should, now that Major Stapleton was alive and promising
to do well, talk of departure, when he refused at the time he supposed
him to be killed. I was therefore very glad when in an hour or two
afterwards he took his leave, and started, as he said, for London.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

My recovery was rapid: in less than a fortnight I was on the sofa. The
frigate was now rigged, and had taken in her water and stores, and was
reported ready for sea in a month, as we still required about forty men
to make up our complement. I saw a great deal of Captain Green, who
paid me a visit almost every day; and once, when our conversation turned
upon the duel, I made the same remark as I did when Colonel Delmar used
such harsh language over the body of Major Stapleton. "Yes," replied
Captain Green, "I thought it was my duty to tell him what Colonel Delmar
had said. He was very much excited, and replied, `The _greatest_
scoundrel, did he say?--then is the devil better than those he tempts;
however, we are both in each other's power. I must get well first, and
then I will act.' There certainly is some mystery, the attack