Part 53 (1/2)

”What's it all about?” asked the nant tone He was too acute not to perceive the effect his conduct had produced on his own officers, but he deterentlemen,” he said ”You are much mistaken I was the victihters kept entlemen, hoould you have behaved under similar circuain the deck, but these two dear girls of y, and Mrs Bubsby held me down by main force”

”I did, I own it,” exclaier was over, saw the dubious position in which her husband was placed ”My deep affection overcaht of was the safety of hters were aniht that you would all be burnt, or blown up, or go to the bottoain; and we could not endure the thoughts of losing our papa, so we held hi as a lion It was a very difficult thing to keep hielica burst into tears

Whether or not they produced any effect on the hard hearts of the captains and subalterns of the regiment it is impossible to say

”I should advise you, e your dress, which is not quite becohters will follow your exa too far

It was ihter which escaped the shi+p's coet a look at the curious group

”I will take your advice, Captain Rogers,” answered the major, and he, followed by his tall fae thanbeen injured, she proceeded towards her destination Next day she came off a se, 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 the at a little distance, with looks askance

”What we shall do under such a co officer is more than I can tell,” said the senior captain ”I aers, that you have had so bad a specimen of a military man on board your shi+p Were any superior officers on shore, we should at once bring him to a court- his back As it is, in the face of an enemy, we cannot refuse to serve under hi round his neck and keep him at head-quarters, or that a shotwould, I suspect, do that We wish hie 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 Si 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 ith those under his coone down, he would have saved his life, and there would have been nobody to coer, he found himself placed in a very aard position Of this he ell aware He cae and infirers,” he said

”Mrs Bubsby and elica is very anxious to go back with you to Cape Town I have, therefore, co ho seriously?” asked Jack ”Have you considered the consequences of such an act? I should have thought that you would have been anxious to retrieve your character by showing your courage the first ti the enee!” exclaiave way; it was the stout arhters which kept oing down My courage and honour are as bright as they ever were in my best days, when I was known as a perfect fire-eater Do you knohat I did in the Cri of Sevastopol? how I held the rifle-pits against a host of the ene 'Death or victory!' whenpast us and ht have fled? Why, sir, if any officer deserved the Victoria Cross, I did!”

”I have not heard of your brave deeds, Major Bubsby,” answered Jack, ”and it is hters at the nearest place to your destination The state of the surf preventedso at Waterloo Bay, and now I have only to infor to convey you and your fae has already been sent off; what rehast ”Surely, Captain Rogers, you do not , whether I like it or not, and would co creatures to h the sands of Africa without conveyance for ourselves and baggage?”

”Duty is duty, major,” answered Jack, as determined not to take him back if he could help it ”Your duty is to land,this, but I intend to perfor that he had no help for it, made a virtue of necessity He called out to his wife--

”We o, my beloved, and our sweet children ers of this unknown land”

On hearing this Mrs Bubsby approached Jack, who stood boldly prepared for the assault he had every reason to expect froathered on the lady's brow

”Captain Rogers!” she exclaimed, in a voice which made Jack answer--

”Madam!” He had no time to sayto the sister service, the barbarity to refuse a passage to hters, when the request has been made to you? For o I did not expect this from you; and I'd have you know that I do not consider your conduct worthy of an officer and a gentleain ejaculated Jack, ”I e, even from a lady I have simply to perform my duty, which is to land Major Bubsby and his fao, I should be sorry to have to hoist him and you over the side; but I intend to do so”

Mrs Bubsby plucked off her gloves Jack looked at her hands; her nails were long, but the captain of a man-of-as not likely to be assaulted on the deck of his own shi+p, even by a lady Still Jack could not tell what elica cast a glance at Lieutenant Blewitt, as standing at the gangway, hoping heartily to have the honour of handing her and her sister down the acco a last farewell, but he averted his eyes when he saw those of his charan to be seriously alarht proceed to extremities, and that it would be better to face the scorn of his officers and the assegais of the Caffres than be ignominiously tumbled over the side

”Coers knows his duty He fulfils it sternly, I must say; but still wereceived directions froe of the major conveyed to the boat He sent Alick to say that all was ready The major saw that there was no excuse for further delay

”Farewell, Captain Rogers,” he said, lifting his hat ”Farewell, gentleway

”Oh, cruel! cruel!” uttered Mrs Bubsby, an exclaelica