d sufficient in
Philadelphia. Colonel Markham, the acting governor, being one of the
witnesses. Jack and his bride, accompanied by Captain Davis and his
sister, soon afterwards embarked on board a stout ship sailing for
England. They arrived safely in London, whence Jack wrote to Norwich to
announce his safe return.

A few days were spent in the great city, that Elizabeth might recruit
her strength after her voyage. During his stay there, he met with an
old brother officer, Captain Bertrand, who, hailing him with pleasure,
told him that he was the very man he was looking out for.

"I have taken service," he said, "with the permission of the British
Government, under the Czar of Russia, the Great Peter, for such he is
indeed. You will remember his labouring as a shipwright in England not
many years since, to gain a knowledge of ship-building He is now
constructing a large fleet, and he is anxious to secure the services of
a number of active and intelligent officers like yourself. What do you
say? I can promise you handsome pay, and the command of a
line-of-battle ship."

Deane replied that he must think about it, as he had only lately married
a wife, and had no inclination to leave her.

"Oh, you must bring her with you!" was the answer. "You can establish
her in the new city the Czar is building on the Neva; and, depend upon
it, you will have no long cruises to make. Foreign officers can be
found; but he will have a difficulty in making seamen out of his serfs.
Free men only are fit to become seamen, in my opinion."

Captain Deane begged that his friend would give him his address, and
should he determine to accept his offer, after he had visited his
friends, he would communicate with him. Leaving the unhappy Mistress
Pearson with her brother, Deane set forward in a coach with his bride
for Norwich. He had fortunately been able to procure the balance of
prize-money due to him while he was in London, which amounted to a
considerable sum, and he was thus, in spite of his heavy loss in the
"Nottingham Galley," no longer crippled by want of means.

Words can scarcely describe the joy with which Madame de Mertens and her
husband received their long-lost daughter. Though she had grown from a
young child into a woman, they immediately recognised her, while the
trinkets she had preserved prevented them having any doubt about the
matter. After spending some time at Norwich, and receiving great
kindness from th