o the stern sheets.

Jack, who just then looked over the side, observing that no one else
remained to get into the boat, ordered her to shove off.

"But the major is in her, sir," answered Alick.

"He must not go back to the dreadful ship!" cried Mrs Bubsby, her words
being echoed by her daughters, while Angelica, throwing her arms round
his neck, held him down. In vain the major struggled, or appeared to
struggle, to regain the accommodation ladder, but each time that he made
an attempt to get on board, his wife and daughters pulled him back.

While this was going forward, the boat was veered astern by a long warp,
and now and then the major attempted to shout, but his wife placed her
hand over his mouth, so that his demands to be taken on board were
unheeded.

At length, appearing reconciled to his fate, he subsided down and
remained quietly with his wife and family, without any further effort to
return to the ship.

"It can't be helped, sir," said young Alick. "They'll do very well
without you, as there are quite men enough to put out the fire. I wish,
though, that I was on board to help."

"Do you think there is any chance of the ship blowing up?" said Mrs
Bubsby. "If it does I'm afraid we shall lose all our things."

"You may be very sure, madam, that if the ship does blow up you will
lose everything, but I can't help thinking that the lives of the
officers and crew, not to speak of the poor soldiers, are of more
consequence than your traps," answered Alick.

"Oh dear! oh dear! will the ship blow up, do you suppose?" inquired
Angelica. "And poor Lieutenant Blewitt, what will become of him?"

"I suppose that Billy must share the fate of others," answered Alick.
"But I can assure you that I have no fear that she will blow up. Her
crew are well-disciplined, and the soldiers appear to be equally so,
judging by the way they were behaving when we left the ship, and it was
only as a matter of precaution, in case of accident, that Captain Rogers
had you put into the boat, and it is probable that we shall be on board
again in an hour or so, or in less time."

"Do you venture to call Lieutenant Blewitt `Billy?'" exclaimed Angelica,
in whose tender besom the full amount of affection she had ever felt had
returned for our friend, on supposing that he was in peril and might be
lost to her for ever.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Angelica. I forgot when I spoke that you and
he were spooney on each other," answere