the Leda on board her,
only eight-and-twenty hands, which was all that could be spared, and
in command of them our friend Blyth Scudamore. I sent him to ask Robert
Honyman about it, when he managed to survive the doctor, for a captain
is the master of his own luffs; and he answered that it was exactly
what he wished. Our gallant frigate lost three lieutenants in this very
spirited action, two killed and one heavily wounded. And the first is
in charge of the Ville d'Anvers, so there was nobody for this enterprise
except the gentle Scuddy, as they call him. He is very young for such a
business, and we must do all we can to help him."

"I have confidence in that young man," said Mr. Twemlow, as if it were
a question of theology; "he has very sound views, and his principles are
high; and he would have taken holy orders, I believe, if his father's
assets had permitted it. He perceives all the rapidly growing dangers
with which the Church is surrounded, and when I was in doubt about a
line of Horace, he showed the finest diffidence, and yet proved that
I was right. The 'White Pig,' as the name of a submarine bank, is most
clearly of classic origin. We find it in Homer, and in Virgil too; and
probably the Romans, who undoubtedly had a naval station in Springhaven,
and exterminated the oyster, as they always did--"

"Come, come, Twemlow," said the Admiral, with a smile which smoothed the
breach of interruption, "you carry me out of my depth so far that I long
to be stranded on my pillow. When your great book comes out, we shall
have in perfect form all the pile of your discoveries, which you break
up into little bits too liberally. The Blonde on the Pig is like Beauty
and the Beast. If gentle Scuddy rescues her, it won't be by Homer, or
Horace, or even holy orders, but by hard tugs and stout seamanship."

"With the blessing of the Lord, it shall be done," said the Rector,
knocking his pipe out; "and I trust that Providence may see fit to have
it done very speedily; for I dread the effect which so many gallant
strangers, all working hard and apparently in peril, may produce upon
the females of this parish."

But the Admiral laughed, and said, "Pooh, pooh!" for he had faith in the
maids of Springhaven.

For these there was a fine time now in store--young men up and down
everywhere, people running in and out with some new news, before they
could get their hats on, the kettle to boil half a dozen times a day,
and almost as mu