for
having, as a volunteer, rendered signal service by carrying
despatches, at great risk, across to the Barbary coast."

Bob then returned home. Captain Lockett had already been to the
house, and informed the O'Hallorans of his arrival.

"There you see, Carrie," Bob said, after his sister's first
greetings were over; "there was nothing to have been so terribly
alarmed about."

"It isn't because you got through it safely, Bob, that there was no
danger," his sister replied. "It was a very foolish thing to do,
and nothing will change my opinion as to that.

"Captain Lockett tells me you brought Amy Harcourt back with you,
dressed up as a boy. I never heard of such a thing, Bob! The idea
of a boy like you--not eighteen yet--taking charge, in that way, of
a young girl!"

"Well, there was nothing else to do, Carrie, that I could see. I
went to Mrs. Hamber, who was Mrs. Colomb's most intimate friend,
and asked her opinion as to what I had better do; and she advised
me to get Amy away, if I possibly could do so. I can't see what
difference it makes, whether it is a boy or a girl. It seems to me
that people are always so stupid about that sort of thing."

Carrie laughed.

"Well, never mind, Bob. Amy Harcourt is a very nice girl. A little
too boyish, perhaps; but I suppose that is natural, being brought
up in the regiment. I am very glad that you have brought her back
again, and it will be an immense relief to her father and mother.
Her mother has been here three or four times, during these two days
you have been away; and I am in no way surprised at her anxiety.
They will be in here this evening, certainly, to thank you."

"Very well; then I shall be round smoking a cigar, with the
doctor," Bob said. "I am very glad to have been of use to them, and
to have got Amy back again; but I don't want to be thanked, and you
tell them so. I hate being made a fuss about."

And so, beyond a warm grasp of the hand, on the part of Major
Harcourt; and two or three words of hearty thanks, on that of his
wife, the next time they met; Bob escaped any expression of
gratitude. But the occurrence drew the two families together more
closely, and Amy often came round with her father and mother, in
the evening; and there were many little confidential talks between
Carrie and Mrs. Harcourt.

It was some time before the anxiety as to the fate of the English
inhabitants, at Tangier, was allayed. They were, at the beginning
of December, fo