u could get sent home, and have your mother and
sister to nurse you till you are strong and well."

"Who told you that I had a sister?" he asked quickly.

"You did, surely, Harry," I answered; "how else should I have known it?"

"Oh, I never spoke about her, I'm sure!" said he earnestly. "She is
such a little angel, Hurry, that I could not bear to have her name
uttered by any of our fellows in the way they speak of each other's
sisters and female friends."

"Trust me, indeed, I will never mention her," I answered, appreciating
his delicacy, though I felt a strong desire to see the little girl he
praised so highly. I did not reflect that her portrait was painted by a
loving brother. I got him to talk more about her, and when his heart
was opened he seemed never tired of the theme. He told me how she was
two or three years older than himself; how she had watched over him and
instructed him in all that was good, and how bitterly she grieved at his
going away to sea, and much did he blame himself for having often
appeared ungrateful for her love and affection. Often in a night-watch
did my thoughts recur to Julia Sumner. It was a midshipman's fancy, and
perhaps a folly, but it was very excusable, I cannot help thinking even
at the present time.

Our conversation was interrupted by the report of one of our
bow-chasers: I sprang on deck. We had got the chase within range of our
guns, and we were not likely to let them remain inactive. Still she
stood on; not a trace nor a sheet did she slack; and as our gunnery was
not first-rate it must be owned, we could not as yet hope to do her much
damage.

"We have gained on her considerably since you went below," said Delisle,
whose glass was fixed on the chase, watching the effect of our shot.
"In another hour, if the wind holds, we shall get her well under our
guns, and then she'll have very little more to say for herself."

"Land ahead!" shouted the look-out from aloft. I with others went to
the mast-head to ascertain its distance. We judged it to be the land
about Cape Cod, some fifteen miles or so away. It would take us a
couple of hours to get up with it. Evening, however, was now coming on,
and it would be dark before we could hope to reach it. We watched the
chase more anxiously than ever; the prospect of bringing her to before
she should reach the shore was every instant growing less. Those who
manned her were no cowards. As we were watching her, her ster