less than ten minutes Caleb had brought his boat round to the
quay. Mr. Fogo stepped in, and was presently seated in the stern and
meditatively listening while Caleb rowed--and talked--"like a
Trojan."

Here we may leave them for a while and return to the Admiral, whom we
left in the act of plunging furiously into his own house. It was not
the habit of that fiery little tar to hide his emotions from the wife
of his bosom.

"Emily!" he bellowed, "Em-i-ly, I say! Come down this instant."

The three Misses Buzza at the parlour window knew the tone, and
shuddered: Mrs. Buzza, up-stairs, heard, trembled, and obeyed.

"Yes, darling. What is it?"

"Fill the warming-pan at once. I'm going to bed."

"To bed, love!"

"Yes, to bed. Don't I speak plainly enough? To bed, ma'am, to bed,
and at once."

"You are upset, dearest; be cool, I implore you."

"Be cool! Be coo'--Don't hector me, ma'am, but fetch that
warming-pan at once. I'll teach you about being cool! Sophy, pull
off my boots."

They obeyed. The warming-pan was brought--an enormous engine, big
enough to hold the Admiral himself--and the bed heated. The Admiral
undressed, and, himself a warming-pan of rage, plunged between the
sheets. It was a wonder the bed-clothes were not on fire.

"Pull down the blind, and bring me something to eat!"

"Yes, love."

"And be quick about it. Can't you see I'm starving?"

It is true that the Admiral's excitement had interfered with his
breakfast that morning, but it was none the less difficult to read
starvation upon his face. Mrs. Buzza obeyed, however; and presently
returned with the liver-wing of a fowl.

"You call that a dinner for a hungry man, I suppose! Bring me some
more!"

"My dear, I didn't know you wanted a dinner."

"Confound it, ma'am! must I put dress-studs in my night-shirt to
convince you I want to dine? Bring me some more!"

"There is no more fowl, dear. I kept this from yesterday's as a
tit-bit for you."

"What is for dinner to-day?"

"Boiled beef: but you said expressly that dinner was to be late
to-day, in consequence of the arrivals, and it is not nearly done
yet."

"I don't care, bring it!"

The mention of the arrivals sent the Admiral up to a white heat
again.

"But, my--"

"Bring it!"

It was brought. The Admiral had two helpings, and then a glass of
grog.

"Go."

Mrs. Buzza withdrew. Left to himself, the Admiral tossed, and
turned, and fumed, and swore, l