rd, even if it was the Pope himself,"
answered Captain Bowse.

"But I am not at all particular as to the sort of accommodation you can
find for me," urged the Greek. "I have been at sea before, and can
rough it as well as any of you mariners."

"No matter, Mr Prince; the colonel would not allow any stranger on
board, so, with all the will in the world to serve you, I cannot do it."

"But suppose the colonel should not object, would you then receive me?"
asked the stranger.

"That would alter the case, sir, and we would rig you up the best berth
we could manage," answered Captain Bowse.

"So far, so good," said the Greek. "About the passage-money we shall
not disagree; but tell me of what does your cargo consist? I have the
greatest horror of sleeping over gunpowder, or anything likely to
explode."

"Oh, we have no gunpowder except a few charges for our guns there; but
we have some cases of muskets consigned to a merchant at Cephalonia, and
which will, I suspect, soon find their way over to your friends on the
main; and we have besides an assortment of hard goods, and of silks and
clothes, and cottons, and such things, indeed, as would only be shipped
in a sound ship--high up in Lloyd's list, let me tell you, sir. There
isn't a finer craft out of London than the _Zodiac_, and none but a good
ship would have weathered the gale we fell in with t'other day, though,
as it was, we met with a little damage, which made us put in here to
repair."

"I have no doubt of the _Zodiac's_ good qualities, and I hope that I may
yet have the satisfaction of proving them," said the Greek, as he
stepped over the side. "Adieu, captain; a prosperous voyage whether I
sail with you or not."

CHAPTER FIVE.

A grand ball was taking place at the Auberge de Provence, in the Strada
Reale, at Valetta. All the rank and fashion of the city were assembled.
They consisted of the naval, military, and civil officers of the crown
stationed there, their wives and daughters; a few English visitors
attracted to the island to recruit their health, or to indulge their
curiosity; and some foreigners, illustrious and otherwise, who had come
there chiefly on the latter account; though a small portion might have
been travelling diplomatists or scientific _savants_. Few ball-rooms
could display a larger number of glittering uniforms, both naval,
military, and consular; and there was a very fair proportion of beauty
among the younger ladies, and