"I thank you, sir," said Flora, faintly.

"All right!" whispered the admiral to Charles; "what a figure-head, to
be sure! Poll at Swansea would have made just about four of her, but she
wasn't so delicate, d--n me!"

"I should think not."

"You are right for once in a way, Charley."

"What was it that alarmed you?" said Charles, tenderly, as he now took
one of Flora's hands in his.

"Varney--Varney, the vampyre."

"Varney!" exclaimed Henry; "Varney here!"

"Yes, he came in at that door: and when I screamed, I suppose--for I
hardly was conscious--he darted out through the window."

"This," said Henry, "is beyond all human patience. By Heaven! I cannot
and will not endure it."

"It shall be my quarrel," said Charles; "I shall go at once and defy
him. He shall meet me."

"Oh, no, no, no," said Flora, as she clung convulsively to Charles. "No,
no; there is a better way."

"What way?"

"The place has become full of terrors. Let us leave it. Let him, as he
wishes, have it."

"Let _him_ have it?"

"Yes, yes. God knows, if it purchase an immunity from these visits, we
may well be overjoyed. Remember that we have ample reason to believe him
more than human. Why should you allow yourselves to risk a personal
encounter with such a man, who might be glad to kill you that he might
have an opportunity of replenishing his own hideous existence from your
best heart's blood?"

The young men looked aghast.

"Besides," added Flora, "you cannot tell what dreadful powers of
mischief he may have, against which human courage might be of no avail."

"There is truth and reason," said Mr. Marchdale, stepping forward, "in
what Flora says."

"Only let me come across him, that's all," said Admiral Bell, "and I'll
soon find out what he is. I suppose he's some long slab of a lubber
after all, ain't he, with no strength."

"His strength is immense," said Marchdale. "I tried to seize him, and I
fell beneath his arm as if I had been struck by the hammer of a
Cyclops."

"A what?" cried the admiral.

"A Cyclops."

"D--n me, I served aboard the Cyclops eleven years, and never saw a very
big hammer aboard of her."

"What on earth is to be done?" said Henry."

"Oh," chimed in the admiral, "there's always a bother about what's to be
done on earth. Now, at sea, I could soon tell you what was to be done."

"We must hold a solemn consultation over this matter," said Henry. "You
are safe now, Flora."

"Oh, be ruled by me. Gi