Augustus and I were again left alone, and after a little more lecturing on my part, we made all right. I believe we shook hands-I am not quite certain, but I may say so;"-and now the old man began to tremble exceedingly, and to speak so rapidly, as hardly to be intelligible. "Now Augustus, said I, as I was walking the stern-walk, looking at the miserable ball-practice of those beggarly French, I think, Gus, they have put a shot in under the lee-counter; if they have, we must plug the shot-hole directly. Jump, Augustus, into the quarter-gallery, and see if I'm right; but don't overreach yourself; but he did, -he did he did,—and I am a miserable man -I caught a glance of his beautiful hair one moment in the wake of the ship,-the Lord have mercy on his soul, and on mine!"

The wretched uncle paused, and there was a dead silence. No one believed him, and he saw it. At that moment Augustus Astell was fully avenged. After a struggle the Commodore proceeded.

"Out of respect for the memory of the departed, you will let all this, gentlemen, be made known; and," turning to the master, whom, with the other officers ordered to their cabins, he has released the night before, "you will insert in the log, that, during the action with the French squadron, Mr. Astell accidentally fell overboard whilst in the execution of a perilous duty, and was unfortunately drowned. Gentlemen, I have done."

Having finished speaking, the Commodore sank back exhausted upon the sofa, and turned his face away, hiding it partly in the pillow; but his awe-struck audience did not disperse,there was a whispering among them, and, at length, Mr. Alsop said, "Sir Octavius, it is not our part to doubt one word of all you have been so good as to tell us concerning this unfortunate affair; but we shall have some trouble to make the account generally believed-inasmuch-inasmuch-"

The Commodore, without lifting up his head, waved his hand impatiently towards the door.

"Inasmuch-that is to say, or I should say, on account of-because-just before Mr. Astell jumped, fell overboard, I mean, he wrote a short letter to his mother, which he swore his messmate, Mr. Danvers, to deliver with his own hand."

"And he'll keep his oath," grunted out the old quarter-master.

As if a Promethean flash of tenfold life had passed through the frame of the Commodore, he started on his legs, and, despite his gout, lumbago, and his rheumatism, never stood more firmly upright in his life.

"The letter, the letter!" he roared out in a voice of thunder.

"Mr. Danvers has it."

"Send for him immediately-fly! why is he not here ?"

Mr. Danvers walked into the cabin as stealthily and as suspiciously as the fox might have been supposed to do had he been compelled to walk into the den of the lion that simulated sickness.

"The letter, the letter! and if you have broken the seal-" bellowed out, with extended hand, the Commodore.

"What letter, Sir Octavius ?" said Mr. Innocence, looking down modestly, and folding his hands demurely before him.

"The letter Mr. Astell wrote yesterday, sirrah!"

"O, Sir Octavius, he never wrote any letter we were always close enough together for conversation."

to me;

"Dare you trifle with me?-Mr. Sorsbey, the cat. I mean, sir, the letter that Mr. Astell wrote to his mother."

"I don't know what letter you allude to, Sir Octavius."

"How dare you to lie, sir, on an occasion so solemn as is this ?-to lie almost over the dead body of your messinate;-the letter, sir, immediately."

"O, sir, the occasion, as you say, sir, is too awful for guilty lying; I now do remember

Augustus and I were again left alone, and after a little more lecturing on my part, we made all right. I believe we shook hands-I am not quite certain, but I may say so;"-and now the old man began to tremble exceedingly, and to speak so rapidly, as hardly to be intelligible. "Now Augustus, said I, as I was walking the stern-walk, looking at the miserable ball-practice of those beggarly French, I think, Gus, they have put a shot in under the lee-counter; if they have, we must plug the shot-hole directly. Jump, Augustus, into the quarter-gallery, and see if I'm right; but don't overreach yourself; but he did, -he did-he did,-and I am a miserable man -I caught a glance of his beautiful hair one moment in the wake of the ship,-the Lord have mercy on his soul, and on mine!"

The wretched uncle paused, and there was a dead silence. No one believed him, and he saw it. At that moment Augustus Astell was fully avenged. After a struggle the Commodore proceeded.