uldn't have slept had I tried,"
answered Billy, with a sigh. "I want, Tom, to confide a secret to you."

"What is it?" inquired Tom. "You have had no quarrel with any of those
military officers, I hope?"

"Oh, no, no," answered Billy. "I know, Rogers, that you were once
susceptible of the tender passion, and I want to make you my confidant.
I am in love, irretrievably, hopelessly in love, and the fair object of
my affections returns it, she assures me, with the same ardour. But,
you know, my income is small. At present I have nothing but my pay, and
that will only keep me and allow me a few pounds to spend on tarts and
jellies and ice creams, and I should have to give those up at all
events, which would be a terrible sacrifice. And then the major, her
father, is evidently a hard-hearted, stubborn old fogey, and the
mother's a she-dragon. The adorable creature insists that I shall marry
her on the first opportunity. She, indeed, proposes that the chaplain
should perform the ceremony on board, but I am afraid the captain would
not allow that, and I am in a fearful state of perplexity."

"Which of them is it?" asked Tom; "for you appeared equally attentive to
both whenever I have seen you together."

"Ah! but you have not observed the glances Angelica has cast at me, nor
the blush which mantles on her cheek when I approach. I thought that
every one must have observed it, though I desired to keep the matter a
secret in my own breast until I confided it to you. We have been
shipmates for many years, so that I felt sure I could trust you."

"Indeed you can," answered Tom. "I'll give you the best advice I can.
Don't say anything to any one else for a few days; at all events
restrain your ardour, do not commit yourself while the lady remains on
board. You can write to her, you know, at any time, when she's safe on
shore, then the captain would not interfere. Perhaps, after a little
absence, you may find your affection cool; for, from the way you
describe her parents, I am, as a friend, bound to tell you that there
are some objections to the match, and I am sure the captain would see
them."

"I am sure that I shall never love her less than I do now," answered
Billy. "I have been thinking of composing some verses to present to
her. As you know, I am something of a poet, but I should like to show
them to you before I give them."

"Didn't you once begin some to a young lady in Sydney?" asked Tom,
slily. "I d