-

"How _do_ you do, Miss Hennings? I'm _so_ glad to have been fortunate
enough to meet you."

"Mr Quee--Queeker," exclaimed Fanny, blushing scarlet; "I--I was not
aware--so very unexpected--I thought--dear me!--but, pardon me--allow me
to introduce my uncle, Mr Hemmings. Mr Queeker, uncle, whom you have
often heard mamma speak about."

Mr Hennings, a six-feet-two man, stooped to shake Queeker by the hand.
An impatient cabman shouted, "Move on." Fanny seized her uncle's arm,
and was led away. Queeker followed close, and all three were wedged
together in the crowd, and swept towards the banquet-hall.

"Are you one of the stewards?" asked Fanny, during a momentary pause.

How exquisite she looks! thought Queeker, as she glanced over her
shoulder at him. He felt inclined to call her an angel, or something of
that sort, but restrained himself, and replied that he was not a
steward, but a guest--an honoured guest--and that he would have no
objection to be a dishonoured guest, if only, by being expelled from the
festive board, he could manage to find an excuse to sit beside her in
the ladies' gallery.

"But that may not be," he said, with a sigh. "I shall not be able to
see you from my allotted position. Alas! we separate here--though--
though--lost to sight, to memory dear!"

The latter part of this remark was said hurriedly and in desperation, in
consequence of a sudden rush of the crowd, rendering abrupt separation
unavoidable. But, although parted from his lady-love, and unable to
gaze upon her, Queeker kept her steadily in his mind's eye all that
evening, made all his speeches to her, sang all his songs to her, and
finally--but hold! we must not anticipate.

As we have said--or, rather, as we have recorded that Queeker said--all
the lifeboat men of the town of Ramsgate sat down to that supper, to the
number of nearly one hundred men. All sturdy men of tried courage.
Some were old, with none of the fire that had nerved them to rescue
lives in days gone by, save that which still gleamed in their eyes; some
were young, with the glow of irrepressible enthusiasm on their smooth
faces, and the intense wish to have a chance to dare and do swelling
their bold hearts; others were middle-aged, iron-moulded; as able and as
bold to the full as the younger men, with the coolness and
self-restraint of the old ones; but all, old, middle-aged, and young,
looking proud and pleased, and so gentle in their demeanour (owin