Mrs Lascelles was too glad to annoy her for many and various insults
received. The matter was, therefore, canvassed over very satisfactorily,
and Mrs Lascelles felt a natural curiosity to see this new Lord B. and
the second Mr Ossulton. But they had had no breakfast and were feeling
very hungry, now that their alarm was over. They desired Phoebe to ask
the steward for some tea or coffee. The reply was, that, "Breakfast was
laid in the cabin, and Lord B. trusted that the ladies would come to
partake of it."

"No, no," replied Mrs Lascelles, "I never can, without being introduced
to them first."

"Nor will I go," replied Cecilia, "but I will write a note, and we will
have our breakfast here." Cecilia wrote a note in pencil as follows:--

"Miss Ossulton's compliments to Lord B., and, as the ladies feel rather
indisposed after the alarm of this morning, they trust that his lordship
will excuse their coming to breakfast; but hope to meet his lordship at
dinner, if not before that time, on deck."

The answer was propitious, and the steward soon appeared with the
breakfast in the ladies' cabin.

"Well Maddox," said Cecilia, "how do you get on with your new master?"

The steward looked at the door to see if it was closed, shook his head,
and then said with a look of despair, "He has ordered a haunch of
venison for dinner, miss, and he has twice threatened to toss me
overboard."

"You must obey him, Maddox, or he certainly will. These pirates are
dreadful fellows; be attentive, and serve him just as if he was my
father."

"Yes, yes, ma'am, I will, but our time may come; it's _burglary_ on the
high seas, and I'll go fifty miles to see him hanged."

"Steward!" cried Pickersgill, from the cabin.

"O lord! he can't have heard me--d'ye-think he did, miss?"

"The partitions are very thin, and you spoke very loud," said Mrs
Lascelles; "at all events, go to him quickly."

"Good-bye, miss; good-bye, ma'am; if I shouldn't see you any more," said
Maddox, trembling with fear, as he obeyed the awful summons--which was
to demand a tooth-pick.

Miss Ossulton would not touch the breakfast; not so Mrs Lascelles and
Cecilia, who ate very heartily.

"It's very dull to be shut up in this cabin," said Mrs Lascelles; "come,
Cecilia, let's go on deck."

"And leave me," cried Miss Ossulton.

"There is Phoebe here, aunt; we are going up to persuade the pirates to
put us all on shore."

Mrs Lascelles and Cecilia put on their bonnet