t, and now I only wish my venture had been double,"
observed Pickersgill; "but I shall not allow business to absorb me
wholly--we must add a little amusement. It appears to me, Corbett, that
the gentleman's clothes which lie there will fit you, and those of the
good-looking fellow who was spokesman will, I am sure, suit me well.
Now, let us dress ourselves, and then for breakfast."

Pickersgill then exchanged his clothes for those of Mr Hautaine, and
Corbett fitted on those of Mr Ossulton. The steward was summoned up, and
he dared not disobey; he appeared on deck, trembling.

"Steward--you will take these clothes below," said Pickersgill, "and,
observe, I now command this yacht; and, during the time that I am on
board, you will pay me the same respect as you did Lord B.: nay, more,
you will always address me as Lord B. You will prepare dinner and
breakfast, and do your duty just as if his lordship was on board, and
take care that you feed us well, for I will not allow the ladies to be
entertained in a less sumptuous manner than before.--You will tell the
cook what I say,--and now that you have heard me, take care that you
obey; if not, recollect that I have my own men here, and if I but point
with my finger, _overboard you go_.--Do you perfectly comprehend me?"

"Yes,--sir," stammered the steward.

"Yes, _sir_!--What did I tell you, sirrah?--Yes, my lord.--Do you
understand me?"

"Yes--my lord."

"Pray, steward, whose clothes has this gentleman put on?"

"Mr--Mr Ossulton's, I think--sir--my lord, I mean."

"Very well, steward; then recollect, in future you always address that
gentleman as _Mr Ossulton_."

"Yes, my lord," and the steward went down below, and was obliged to take
a couple of glasses of brandy, to keep himself from fainting.

"Who are they, and what are they! Mr Maddox?" cried the lady's-maid, who
had been weeping.

"Pirates!--_bloody, murderous, stick-at-nothing_ pirates!" replied the
steward.

"Oh!" screamed the lady's-maid, "what will become of us, poor
unprotected females?" And she hastened into the cabin, to impart this
dreadful intelligence.

The ladies in the cabin were not in a very enviable situation. As for
the elder Miss Ossulton (but, perhaps, it will be better in future to
distinguish the two ladies, by calling the elder simply Miss Ossulton,
and her niece, Cecilia), she was sitting with her salts to her nose,
agonised with a mixture of trepidation and wounded pride. Mrs Lascell