followed by his tall family, disappeared.

The ship had received less damage than might have been expected, and the
machinery not having been injured, she proceeded towards her
destination. Next day she came off a small, but land-locked, bay. The
master, by careful pilotage, brought her in, and she anchored safely.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he thought that he should now get rid
of the major and his family, as well as of the troops, admirably as they
had behaved on board. The officers thanked him for the courtesy he had
shown them. They eyed the major, who was standing at a little distance,
with looks askance.

"What we shall do under such a commanding officer is more than I can
tell," said the senior captain. "I am sorry, Captain Rogers, that you
have had so bad a specimen of a military man on board your ship. Were
any superior officers on shore, we should at once bring him to a
court-martial, and you would be under the necessity of carrying him and
his belongings back. As it is, in the face of an enemy, we cannot
refuse to serve under him, and we can only hope that his wife and
daughters will cling round his neck and keep him at head-quarters, or
that a shot may disable him from active service. A very little thing
would, I suspect, do that. We wish him no further ill."

"I am very willing to oblige you in everything," said Jack, laughing;
"but I would rather not have the pleasure of carrying him and his `woman
kind,' as he calls them, back to Simon's Bay."

The boats were busily employed in landing the soldiers, who bade an
affectionate farewell to their blue-jacket brethren. Most of the
officers had landed; the major and his family still remained. He
appeared to have arrived at the conclusion that he did not stand very
well with those under his command. Had the ship gone down, he would
have saved his life, and there would have been nobody to complain; but
as it was, and there had been no real danger, he found himself placed in
a very awkward position. Of this he was well aware. He came up to
Jack.

"Age and infirmity have told upon me lately, Captain Rogers," he said.
"Mrs Bubsby and my daughters are of the same opinion. My charming
daughter Angelica is very anxious to go back with you to Cape Town. I
have, therefore, come to the conclusion of resigning my command and
returning home, whatever may be the consequences."

"Are you speaking seriously?" asked Jack. "Have you considered the