garden for
her; and it seems she likes cows,--she is to have cows. It's a lucky
chance that the old lady had n't a taste for a plesiosaurus, or he 'd be
offering a prize for one to-morrow."

"He's a dear good fellow, as he always was," said Bella.

"The only real change I see in him," said Skeffy, "is that now he is
never grumpy,--he takes everything well; and if crossed for a moment, he
says, 'Give me a weed; I must smoke away that annoyance.'"

"How sensual!" said my Lady; but nobody heeded the remark.

At the moment, too, a young midshipman saluted Darner from the street,
and informed him that the first cutter was at the jetty to take the
party off to the "Talisman;" and Captain Paynter advised them not to
delay very long, as the night looked threatening. Lady Lyle needed
no stronger admonition; she declared that she would go at once; and
although the Captain's own gig, as an attention of honor, was to be in
to take her, she would not wait, but set out immediately.

"You 'll take care of me, Skeffy," said Alice, "for I have two letters
to write, and shall not be ready before eleven o'clock."

For a while all was bustle and confusion. Lady Lyle could not make up
her mind whether she would finally accept the frigate as a refuge or
come on shore again the next day. There were perils by land and by
water, and she weighed them and discussed them, and turned fiercely
on everybody who agreed with her, and quarrelled with all round. Sir
Arthur, too, had his scruples, as he bethought him of the effect that
would be produced by the fact that a man of his station and importance
had sought the protection of a ship of war; and he asked Skeffy if
some sort of brief protest--some explanation--should not be made in the
public papers, to show that he had taken the step in compliance with
female fears, and not from the dictates of his own male wisdom. "I
should be sorry, sincerely sorry, to affect the Funds," said he; and
really, the remark was considerate. As for Bella, she could not bear
being separated from Skeffy; he was so daring, so impulsive, as she
said, and with all this responsibility on him now,--people coming to him
for everything, and all asking what was to be done,--he needed more than
ever support and sympathy.

And thus is it the world goes on, as unreal, as fictitious, as
visionary as anything there ever was put on the stage and illuminated
by footlights. There was a rude realism outside in the street, however