g
forward, surrounded by several lieutenants; Desborough being at her
right hand, of course, feeling and looking unusually gloomy and morose.
One or two of the oldest and boldest midshipmen were also lingering on
the outskirts of the group, as near to their divinity as they dared
come in the presence of their superior officers. The conversation
happening to turn, as it frequently did, upon the subject of the
present war between England and the colonies engaged in rebellion
against the paternal power, was unusually animated.

CHAPTER XXXIII

_Two Proposals_

"Oh, you know, Miss Wilton, if the colonies--" began one of the
officers, vehemently.

"Pardon me, Mr. Hollins, that is hardly the correct term. The _late_
colonies would be better," interrupted Katharine, with much spirit.

"Oh, well, you know, I am merely anticipating, of course; we 'll have
them back fast enough, after while. Now, if they--"

"Pardon me again, sir, but that is another contention I can hardly
admit. You 'll never have them back,--never, never!"

"Oh, come, Miss Wilton," said another, "you surely do not think the
colonies--oh, well, the late colonies, if you will insist upon it--can
maintain a fight with the power of Great Britain, for any length of
time! Why, madam, the English spirit--"

"Well, sir, what else have we but the English spirit? What other blood
runs in our veins, pray? Just as you love and prize your liberty, so
too do we, and we will not be dominated and ruled over, even by our
brothers. No, no, Mr. Beauchamp, or you, either, Mr. Hollins; it is no
use. We are just as determined as you are; and there is but one way to
win back the colonies, as you call them, to their allegiance."

"And how is that, pray?"

"Why, by depopulating them, overwhelming them, killing the people, and
wasting the land. Only a war of extermination will serve your purpose."

"Well," said Hollins, doggedly, "if they must have it, they must--let
it be extermination! The authority of the king and the power of
Parliament must be upheld at all hazards."

"Ah, that is easy enough to say," replied Katharine, "but three
millions of English-speaking liberty-loving people are not to be
blotted out by a wave of the hand; they are not so easily exterminated,
as you will find. Besides, it is easy to speak in general terms; but
thousands and thousands are young and helpless, or old and
feeble,--grandsires or women or children,--how about them?