re satisfied with this
arrangement, and the session was closed. The boatswain immediately
piped all hands to muster on deck.

"Whom do you purpose to join in Paris, if you go to Germany?" asked Mr.
Lowington, when Perth appeared among the officers.

"My uncle," replied the second master, promptly.

"Your uncle from Glasgow, I suppose you mean."

"Yes, sir. He wrote me that he should be in Paris early this month."

"How happened you to be writing the sentence on your paper?"

"I was writing a letter which I intended to copy with ink, as soon as I
had time."

"Have you the rest of the letter?"

"No, sir; I tore it up just now."

"Will you be kind enough to produce your uncle's letter?" said the
principal, quietly.

"I don't keep my letters, sir; and I destroyed it as soon as I had read
it."

"I suppose you did," replied Mr. Lowington, significantly. "But if you
don't go to Germany, what then? I think you wrote the words, 'I will
start with you.'"

"Yes, sir."

"Start from where?"

"From here."

"I don't understand it."

"I was going to write to uncle Donald, that, if I went to Germany, I
would see him in Paris as we pass through that city. If I did not go, I
wanted him to come here, and take me to Paris with him."

"And you think this explains what you wrote upon your note paper?"
inquired the principal.

"As I understand it, sir, it does."

"Was Herman expected to join your party?"

"No, sir."

"I observed that he seemed to be much interested in what you were
writing, and that you took some pains to let him see your paper. Your
explanation is not satisfactory, and I should not dare to take you to
Germany, lest you should miss your uncle on the way. Perhaps he had
better come to Brest himself. When do you expect him?"

"I don't know when he is coming, sir," replied Perth, rather abashed to
find his explanation had obtained so little consideration.

"Have you any money, Perth?" asked Mr. Lowington, suddenly.

"No, sir."

"Not a few francs, even?"

"Perhaps I have a few English pence."

"Haven't you a few English pounds?"

"No, sir."

"Just think a little, before you answer."

"If I had even a pound, I should be likely to remember it, sir."

"I should say you would; and twenty times as likely to remember it, if
you had twenty pounds," added the principal.

"O, I haven't anything like that, sir."

"You have an astonishingly bad memory, Perth. You received a letter
from your uncl