dren, I
suppose, I soon developed; and they diligently devoted themselves to the
task of checking these, so that in addition to loving my parents I was
soon taught to honour and obey them. Then, when I was five years old, I
was sent to school, where, mixing with other boys, any especial conceit
of myself that I might have had was quickly nipped in the bud. At
school, in addition to a fair, useful education, I was taught to
reverence and respect my seniors and superiors, to be obedient, to
submit to discipline, to be honest and truthful, to despise selfishness
and viciousness, to fear God and honour the king. That, in brief, was
the way of my bringing up, Mrs Vansittart. And although many of the
things that I learned had to be hammered into me with a cane wielded by
a willing and vigorous arm, I can truthfully assert that I am not a whit
the worse, but rather the better for it to-day."

My companion regarded me smilingly for some moments. Then she said:

"So that is the story of how you came to be what you are! Well, Walter,
I am compelled to admit that your parents were wiser than Mr Vansittart
and I have been. But I am going to alter my methods now, and I can only
pray that it may not be too late. You and I must talk further upon this
matter later on. I think that perhaps you may be able to help me. Now,
what about that junk? You were looking at her through the glass when I
came up: have you been able to discover anything that would afford us a
clue to her character?"

"Not very much," I replied; "but I am bound to confess that what I have
seen is not altogether reassuring. For instance, she has not responded
to the display of our ensign; and I believe that she would have done so
in one form or another if she were coming to our rescue, in answer to
our appeals for assistance. Then, although I cannot see her decks very
well because of her high bulwarks, she appears to be carrying a good
many men--too many, I think, for an honest craft of her size. I notice
also that she has a gun--an eighteen-pound smooth-bore, I judge, from
its appearance--mounted on her forecastle, while if you will look at her
through the glass, you will see three ports in her port bulwarks through
which protrude the muzzles of other cannon. These look like
twelve-pounders; and I have not the slightest doubt that there are three
more of the same kind grinning through her starboard bulwark."

"Yes," replied Mrs Vansittart, peering th