had set his heart on this youth
(so had another individual, of whom more anon!) but the youth, whose
name was Ruby Brand, happened to have an old mother who was at that time
in very bad health, and she had also set her heart, poor body, on the
youth, and entreated him to stay at home just for one half-year. Ruby
willingly consented, and from that time forward led the life of a dog in
consequence of the press-gang.

Now, as we have said, he had been seen leaving the town by the
lieutenant, who summoned his men and went after him--cautiously,
however, in order to take him by surprise for Ruby, besides being strong
and active as a lion, was slippery as an eel.

Going straight as an arrow to the spot where she of the golden hair was
seated, the youth presented himself suddenly to her, sat down beside
her, and exclaiming "Minnie", put his arm round her waist.

"Oh, Ruby, don't," said Minnie, blushing.

Now, reader, the "don't" and the blush had no reference to the arm round
the waist, but to the relative position of their noses, mouths, and
chins, a position which would have been highly improper and altogether
unjustifiable but for the fact that Ruby was Minnie's accepted lover.

"Don't, darling, why not?" said Ruby in surprise.

"You're _so_ rough," said Minnie, turning her head away.

"True, dear, I forgot to shave this morning."

"I don't mean that," interrupted the girl quickly, "I mean rude and--
and--is that a sea-gull?"

"No, sweetest of your sex, it's a butterfly; but it's all the same, as
my metaphysical Uncle Ogilvy would undertake to prove to you, thus, a
butterfly is white and a gull is white,--therefore, a gull is a
butterfly."

"Don't talk nonsense, Ruby."

"No more I will, darling, if you will listen to me while I talk sense."

"What is it?" said the girl, looking earnestly and somewhat anxiously
into her lover's face, for she knew at once by his expression that he
had some unpleasant communication to make. "You're not going away?"

"Well, no--not exactly; you know I promised to stay with mother; but the
fact is that I'm so pestered and hunted down by that rascally
press-gang, that I don't know what to do. They're sure to nab me at
last, too, and then I shall have to go away whether I will or no, so
I've made up my mind as a last resource, to--" Ruby paused.

"Well?" said Minnie.

"Well, in fact to do what will take me away for a short time, but--"
Ruby stopped short, and, turning his hea