t `as oosual,'" suggested Bill Jones, turning the
quid in his cheek; "it's quite on-oosual for the likes o' us to sup with
a lady."

"That's it," chimed in Larry; "so, Mister Ned, ye'll jist plaise to make
our excuges to Mrs Tom, and tell her where we've gone to lo-cate, as
the Yankees say. Come away, Bill."

Larry took his friend by the arm, and, leading him out of the room, shut
the door.

Five seconds after that there came an appalling female shriek, and a
dreadful masculine yell, from the region of the kitchen, accompanied by
a subdued squeak of such extreme sweetness, that it could have come only
from the throat of Mademoiselle Nelina. Ned and the captain sprang to
the door, and dashed violently against Tom and his wife, whom they
unexpectedly met also rushing towards the kitchen. In another moment a
curious and deeply interesting _tableau vivant_ was revealed to their
astonished gaze.

In the middle of the room was Larry O'Neil, down on one knee, while with
both arms he supported the fainting form of Kate Morgan. By Kate's side
knelt her sister Nelly, who bent over her pale face with anxious,
tearful countenance, while, presiding over the group, like an amiable
ogre, stood Bill Jones, with his hands in his breeches-pockets, his legs
apart, one eye tightly screwed up, and his mouth expanded from ear to
ear.

"That's yer sort!" cried Bill, in ecstatic glee. "W'en a thing comes
all right, an' tight, an' ship-shape, why, wot then? In coorse it's all
square--that's wot _I_ say."

"She's comin' to," whispered Larry. "Ah! thin, spake, won't ye,
darlin'? It'll do ye good, maybe, an' help to open yer two purty eyes."

Kate Morgan recovered--we need scarcely tell our reader that--and Nelly
dried her eyes, and that evening was spent in a fashion that conduced to
the well-being, and comfort, and good humour of all parties concerned.
Perhaps it is also needless to inform our reader that Larry O'Neil and
Bill Jones carried their point. They supped in the kitchen that night.
Our informant does not say whether Kate Morgan and her sister Nelly
supped with them--but we rather think they did.

A week afterwards, Captain Bunting had matured his future plans. He
resolved to purchase a clipper-brig that was lying at that time useless
in the harbour, and embark in the coasting trade of California. He made
Bill Jones his first mate, and offered to make Larry O'Neil his second,
but Larry wanted a mate himself, and dec