the Directory objected at first,
but the master-spirit who advised them was beginning to feel and exert
that power which ultimately carried him to the throne of the Empire. He
overcame their objections, and the expedition to Egypt was agreed to.

With characteristic energy and promptitude Napoleon began to carry out
his plans, and Great Britain, seeing the storm that was brewing,
commenced with equal energy to thwart him. Accordingly, the great Sir
Horatio Nelson, at that time rear-admiral, was employed with a squadron
to watch the movements and preparations of the French in the
Mediterranean.

Such was the state of matters when our hero, Bill Bowls, was conveyed on
board the _Waterwitch_, a seventy-four gun frigate, and set to work at
once to learn his duty.

Bill was a sensible fellow. He knew that escape from the service,
except in a dishonourable manner, was impossible, so he made up his mind
to do his duty like a man, and return home at the end of the war (which
he hoped would be a short one), and marry Nelly Blyth. Poor fellow, he
little imagined what he had to go through before--but hold, we must not
anticipate the story.

Well, it so happened that Bill was placed in the same mess with the man
whose nose he had treated so unceremoniously on the day of his capture.
He was annoyed at this, but the first time he chanced to be alone with
him, he changed his mind, and the two became fast friends. It happened
thus:--

They were standing on the weather-side of the forecastle in the evening,
looking over the side at the setting sun.

"You don't appear to be easy in your mind," observed Ben Bolter, after a
prolonged silence.

"_You_ wouldn't be if you had left a bride behind you," answered Bill
shortly.

"How d'ye know that?" said Ben; "p'r'aps I _have_ left one behind me.
Anyhow, I've left an old mother."

"That's nothin' uncommon," replied Bill; "a bride may change her mind
and become another man's wife, but your mother can't become your aunt or
your sister by any mental operation that I knows of."

"I'm not so sure o' that, now," replied Ben, knitting his brows, and
gazing earnestly at the forebrace, which happened to be conveniently in
front of his eyes; "see here, s'pose, for the sake of argiment, that
you've got a mothers an' she marries a second time--which some mothers
is apt to do, you know,--and her noo husband has got a pretty niece.
Nothin' more nat'ral than that you should fall in love with