e.
Edward Templemore did, however, occasionally go a little out of his way,
and had lately captured a very fine privateer after a smart action, for
which he anticipated his promotion; but the admiral thought him too
young, and therefore gave the next vacancy to his own nephew, who, the
admiral quite forgot, was much younger.
Edward laughed when he heard of it, upon his arrival at Port Royal; and
the admiral, who expected that he would make his appearance pouting with
disappointment, when he came up to the Penn to report himself, was so
pleased with his good humour that he made a vow that Templemore should
have the next vacancy; but this he also quite forgot, because Edward
happened to be, at the time it occurred, on a long cruise,--and "out of
sight out of mind" is a proverb so well established, that it may be
urged as an excuse for a person who had so many other things to think of
as the admiral entrusted with the command of the West India station.
Lieutenant Templemore had, in consequence, commanded the _Enterprise_
for nearly two years, and without grumbling; for he was of a happy
disposition, and passed a very happy sort of life. Mr Witherington was
very indulgent to him, and allowed him to draw liberally; he had plenty
of money for himself or for a friend who required it, and he had plenty
of amusement. Amongst other diversions, he had fallen most desperately
in love; for, in one of his trips to the Leeward Isles (so called from
their being to windward) he had succoured a Spanish vessel, which had on
board the new Governor of Porto Rico, with his family, and had taken
upon himself to land them on that island in safety; for which service
the English admiral received a handsome letter, concluding with the
moderate wish that his Excellency might live a thousand years, and
Edward Templemore an invitation to go and see them whenever he might
pass that way; which, like most general invitations, was as much a
compliment as the wish which wound up the letter to the admiral. It
did, however, so happen that the Spanish governor had a very beautiful
and only daughter, carefully guarded by a duenna, and a monk who was the
depository of all the sins of the governor's establishment; and it was
with this daughter that Edward Templemore fell into the heresy of love.
She was, indeed, very beautiful; and, like all her countrywomen, was
ardent in her affection. The few days that she was on board the
schooner with her fathe
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