Murray, my dear fellow, we expected to meet you on shore!" he
exclaimed. "What brings you back?"

"To look after my traps, settle my mess accounts, bid farewell to my
late shipmates, and take command of HM Brig _Supplejack_, fitting out at
the Dockyard, and nearly ready for sea, I am told," answered Murray. "I
don't know whether to ask you to congratulate me or not. I had hoped to
make the acquaintance of some families on shore to whom I have letters
of introduction, but as they live some way from Kingston I fear that I
shall not have time to call on them. One family, the Ravens, are
related to my Antigua friends, the Houghtons; and another, the
Bradshaws, to Colonel O'Regan and his daughter, of whom I hoped to hear
from them. I feel anxious on the subject, I confess, for there are
rumours on shore about the character of the brig they sailed in, which I
do not like. I wish that she was safe back again."

"The brig, or the young lady!" exclaimed Terence. "Ah, yes, I
understand; the brig with the young lady aboard. I'd like to give her a
royal salute as she comes in, which I dare say will be before long; and
as to hearing about her, Jack and I will make a pilgrimage to the Ravens
and Bradshaws, and bring you back all the intelligence we can collect,
if you haven't time to go yourself."

"You may depend on us for that," said Jack. "But I say, Alick, you
haven't told us by what good fortune you have been appointed to the
_Supplejack_; for good fortune, I call it, to get an independent
command, whatever you may think."

"By no unusual means; through what I suspect the invidious will call
Nepotism. When I went to pay my respects to the admiral, he at once
hailed me as a cousin, told me he was glad to make my acquaintance,
expressed his regret at the loss of poor Archy, who was also related to
him, and wound up by saying that he should be very happy to forward my
interests. I was taking my leave, wishing to get on to the Bradshaws,
when he stopped me, inviting me to dinner, and observing that he should
by that time have something to say to me; and wished, besides, to hear
about old friends in bonnie Scotland. This, of course, was equivalent
to a royal command; so I wrote to Mrs Bradshaw, enclosing my letter of
introduction, and expressing my intention of calling on her and Mrs
Raven as soon as I was at liberty. You and Terence will, I have no
doubt, be welcomed if you can ride over to Saint David's. You can