d the Captain.

"I think he had you there!" growled Grog in his ear. "Don't you go
poking nonsense at fellows like that. Shut up, I tell you! shut up!"

"I begin to feel it deuced cold here," said Beecher, shuddering.

"Come down below, then, and have something hot. I 'll make a brew and
turn in," said Davis, as he moved towards the ladder. "Come along."

"No, I must keep the deck, no matter how cold it is. I suffer dreadfully
when I go below. Send me up a tumbler of rum-and-water, Davis, as hot as
may be."

"You 'd better take your friend's advice, sir," said the Captain. "It
will be dirty weather out there, and you 'll be snugger under cover."
Beecher, however, declined; and the Captain, crossing the deck, repeated
the same counsel to the other passenger.

"No, I thank you," said he, gayly; "but if one of your men could
spare me a cloak or a cape, I 'd be much obliged, for I am somewhat
ill-provided against wet weather."

"I can let you have a rug, with pleasure," said Beecher, overhearing the
request; while he drew from a recess beneath the binnacle one of those
serviceable aids to modern travel in the shape of a strong woollen
blanket.

"I accept your offer most willingly, and the more so as I suspect I
have had the honor of being presented to you," said the stranger. "Do I
address Mr. Annesley Beecher?"

"Eh?--I'm not aware--I'm not quite sure, by this light," began Beecher,
in considerable embarrassment, which the other as quickly perceived, and
remedied by saying,--

"I met you at poor Kellett's. My name is Conway."

"Oh, Conway,--all right," said Beecher, laughing. "I was afraid you
might be a 'dark horse,' as we say. Now that I know your colors, I'm
easy again."

Conway laughed too at the frankness of the confession, and they turned
to walk the deck together.

"You mentioned Kellett. He 's gone 'toes up,' is n't he?" said Beecher.

"He is dead, poor fellow," said Conway, gravely. "I expected to have met
you at his funeral."

"So I should have been had it come off on a Sunday," said Beecher,
pleasantly; "but as in seeing old Paul 'tucked in' they might have
nabbed me, I preferred being reported absent without leave."

"These were strong reasons, doubtless," said Conway, dryly.

"I liked the old fellow, too," said Beecher. "He was a bit of a bore,
to be sure, about Arayo Molinos, and Albuera, and Soult, and Beresford,
and the rest of 'em; but he was a rare good one to help a fellow at a
pinc