Captain
Hogg, and on board to see the water got in for the bullocks.

"Where did you pick up that air, Gascoigne? it is very pretty, but I
never heard you sing it before."

Gascoigne told him, and also what he had heard from Mr Hicks.

"I'm determined, Jack, to see that girl if I can. Hicks can talk Arabic
fast enough; just ask him the Arabic for these words--`Don't be afraid--
I love you--I cannot speak your tongue,'--and put them down on paper as
they are pronounced."

Jack rallied Gascoigne upon his fancy, which could end in nothing.

"Perhaps not," replied Gascoigne; "and I should have cared nothing about
it, if she had not sung so well. I really believe the way to my heart
is through my ear;--however, I shall try to-night, and soon find if she
has the feeling which I think she has. Now let us go back: I'm tired of
looking at women in garments up to their eyes, and men in dirt up to
their foreheads."

As they entered the house they heard an altercation between Mr and Miss
Hicks.

"I shall never give my consent, Julia; one of those midshipmen you turn
your nose up at is worth a dozen Hoggs."

"Now, if we only knew the price of a hog in this country," observed
Easy, "we should be able to calculate our exact value, Ned."

"A hog, being an unclean animal, is not--"

"Hush," said Jack.

"Mr Hicks," replied Miss Julia, "I am mistress of myself and my
fortune, and I shall do as I please."

"Depend upon it, you shall not, Julia. I consider it my duty to prevent
you from making an improper match; and, as his Majesty's representative
here, I cannot allow you to marry this young man."

"Mercy on us!" said Gascoigne, "his Majesty's representative!"

"I shall not ask your consent," replied the lady.

"Yes, but you shall not marry without my consent. I have, as you know,
Julia, from my situation here, as one of his Majesty's _corps
diplomatick_, great power, and I shall forbid the banns; in fact, it is
only I who can marry you."

"Then I'll marry elsewhere."

"And what will you do on board of the transport until you are able to be
married?"

"I shall do as I think proper," replied the lady; "and I'll thank you
for none of your indelicate insinuations." So saying, the lady bounced
out of the room into her own, and our midshipmen then made a noise in
the passage, to intimate that they had come in. They found Mr Hicks
looking very red and vice-consular indeed, but he recovered himself; and
Captain Hogg