ve
it after dinner. Get your things up and take possession of your rooms.
The _Aurora_ sailed four days ago. You've had a wonderful recovery."

"Wonderful, sir!" replied our hero; "all Palermo rings with it."

"Well, you may go now--I shall see you at dinner. Wilson will be
delighted when he hears that you have got round again, for he was
low-spirited about it, I can tell you, which is more than you deserve."

"He's right there," said our hero to Gascoigne as they walked away.

When dinner was over, Jack narrated to the Governor the adventures of
Mesty, with which he was much interested; but when they were quite alone
in the evening, the Governor called our two midshipmen into the veranda,
and said:

"Now, my lads, I'm not going to preach, as the saying is, but I've been
long enough in the world to know that a compound fracture of the leg is
not cured in fourteen or sixteen days. I ask you to tell me the truth.
Did not you deceive Captain Wilson on this point?"

"I am ashamed to say that we did, sir," replied Easy.

"How did you manage that, and why?"

Jack then went into further details relative to himself and his amour,
stating his wish to be left behind and all that had passed.

"Well, there's some excuse for you, but none for the surgeons. If any
surgeon here had played such a trick, I would have hung him, as sure as
I'm Governor. This affair of yours has become serious. Mr Easy, we
must have some conversation on the matter to-morrow morning."

The next morning the packet from England was reported off the harbour's
mouth. After breakfast the letters were brought on shore, and the
Governor sent for our hero.

"Mr Easy, here are two letters for you, I am sorry to say with black
seals. I trust that they do not bring the intelligence of the death of
any very near relative."

Jack bowed without speaking, took the letters, and went to his room.
The first he opened was from his father.

"My Dear John--

"You will be much grieved to hear that your poor mother, after sitting
in the corner for nearly two years waiting for the millennium, appeared
to pine away; whether from disappointment or not I do not know; but at
last, in spite of all Dr Middleton could do, she departed this life;
and, as the millennium would not come to her as she expected, it is to
be hoped she is gone to the millennium. She was a good wife, and I
always let her have her own way. Dr Middleton does not appear to be
satisfied as