tly such as I should have
wished to put up," answered Captain Rogers. "We shall hear what Julia
and Lucy say."

Their two wives, who now arrived, were equally pleased. The elder
girls, who had brought wreaths of flowers, placed them on the graves as
a token of their visit--an idea of their mothers, though it is probable
that neither Jack nor Terence would have thought of doing such a thing.
They were still looking at the monuments when carriage wheels were
heard, and a gentleman and lady soon afterwards appeared from the other
side of the churchyard, and approached them, accompanied by a
fine-looking lad in a midshipman's uniform.

"Why, Murray! My dear fellow! I little expected to see you here!"
exclaimed Jack, hurrying forward to greet them, Adair following.

Captain Murray introduced his son, who had just left the _Britannia_,
and expected every day to be appointed to a ship.

"But where have you come from, and where are you staying?" asked Jack.

"From Bercaldine, on board the _Stella_, but not the _Stella_ you know.
Our family having considerably increased, we had outgrown the old craft,
so I purchased a fine schooner in Greenock, aboard which we arrived only
yesterday evening. Finding you were staying at Ryde, we went to your
house and there heard that you had gone in this direction. Guessing
your object, we drove on here in the hopes of meeting you."

This of course gave Jack and Terence and their wives the greatest
satisfaction. Thus the three old shipmates were again united, and
together they stood round the grave of the friend they had known from
their youth upwards. Of course they had a great deal to talk about, and
Murray, sending away his carriage, walked back with his friends to Ryde.

Young Alick, as may be supposed, made himself agreeable to Miss Julia
Rogers and Miss Lucy Adair--for both girls were christened after their
mothers. He was a fine handsome boy, full of life and spirits, without
a particle of bashfulness. Murray inquired after Tom and Desmond. Tom
was at sea on board the _Roarer_, a lately launched composite frigate,
which was expected to perform wonders both under sail and steam, but she
had already had to put back twice into Plymouth with broken-down
machinery and other injuries. It was hoped, however, now that she had
undergone a thorough repair, that she would at all events be able to
keep above water, although she might not succeed in running after a
smaller enemy, or