"What about," inquired her brother. A silent look of reproach was her only reply, as she turned away, and again busied herself with the silks. He was instantly conscious and ashamed of his thoughtlessness, which, after a few moments' silence, he proceeded to repair, saying, "Pray tell me, Miss Jessie, has your father received no intelligence of the Pride of the Ohio.""

"Alas! not a word," replied the girl, in a tone of voice so melancholy, that it startled them both. "But why speak you in so sad a voice about the vessel, Jessie, if you have heard no bad news regarding her?" said Reginald, quickly.

"Because, sir, she has been very long over-due, and there are many reports of French ships of war; and we, that is, my father, is much interested about her."

Poor Lucy's colour came and went; but she had not the courage to say a word. After a short pause, Reginald inquired, "Have any boats come up lately from New Orleans?"

"Yes, sir, Henderson's came up only a few days ago, and Henry Gregson, who had been down on some business for my father, returned in her."

"That is the young man who assists your father in the store? I believe he is a son of the

mate on board the Pride. I have remarked that he is a very fine looking young fellow!"

"He is the son of Captain Ethelston's mate," said Jessie, casting down her eyes, and busying herself with some of her ribbons and silks. "But I hope," continued she, "that you, Mr. Reginald, are not seriously hurt. Mr. Perrot told me you had been drowned and stabbed!”

66

"Not quite so bad as that," said Reginald, laughing; "I had, indeed, a swim in the Muskingum, and a blow from a horse's hoof, but am none the worse for either. Do not forget, Miss Jessie, to send off a messenger immediately that any news arrive of the Pride. You know what a favourite she is, and how anxious we are here about her!"

"Indeed I will not forget," replied Jessie.

Lucy sighed audibly; and after purchasing a few ribbons and shawls, as well as a stock of beads for her brother, she allowed Jessie to retire, begging, at the same time, her acceptance of one of the prettiest shawls in her basket. As the latter hesitated about receiving it, Lucy threw it over the girl's shoulder, saying playfully, "Nay, Jessie, no refusal; I am mistress here; and nobody, not even Mr. Reginald, disputes my will in this room?"

Jessie thanked the young lady, and saluting her brother, withdrew to a back parlour, where Mon

sieur Perrot had already prepared his good things, and where her father only waited her coming to commence a dinner which his drive had made desirable, and which his olfactory nerves told him was more savory than the viands set before him at Marietta by Mrs. Christie.

"Call ye this a squirrel ragoo?" said the worthy Merchaunt; "weel now it's an awfu' thing to think how the Lord's gifts are abused in the auld country! I hae seen dizens o' they wee deevils lilting and louping amaing the woods in the Lothians; and yet the hungry chaps wha' can scarce earn a basin o' porritch, or a pot o' kail to their dinner, would as soon think o' eatin' a stoat or a foumart!"

While making this observation, Davie was dispatching the " ragoo" with a satisfaction which showed how completely he had overcome his insular prejudices. Nor were Perrot's culinary attentions altogether lost upon Miss Jessie; for although she might not repay them entirely according to the wishes of the gallant Maitre d'Hotel, she could not help acknowledging that he was a pleasant goodhumoured fellow, and that his abilities as a cook were of the highest order. Accordingly, when he offered her a foaming glass of cider, she drank it to his health, with a glance of her merry eye suffi

cient to have turned the head of a man less vain and amorous than Monsieur Perrot.

The dinner passed pleasantly enough; and as David Muir drove his daughter back to Marietta, his heart being warmed and expanded by the generous cider (which, for the good of his health, he had crowned with a glass of old rum), he said, "Jessie, I'm thinkin, that Maister Parrot is a douce and clever man; a lassie might do waur than tak' up wi the like o' him! I'se warrant his nest will no be ill feathered!"

66

Perhaps not," replied Jessie; and turning her head away, she sighed, and thought of Henry Gregson.

CHAPTER XIII.

IN WHICH THE READER WILL FIND THAT THE COUCH OF AN

INVALID HAS PERILS NOT LESS

FORMIDABLE

WHICH ARE TO BE ENCOUNTERED AT SEA.

THAN THOSE

WE left Ethelston stretched on a sick couch in Guadaloupe, in the house of Captain L'Estrange, and tended by his daughter Nina, and by her brother, the young lieutenant. The latter grew daily more attached to the patient, who had been his captor, and was now his prisoner; but he was obliged, as soon as Ethelston was pronounced out of danger, to sail for Europe, as he was anxious to obtain that professional distinction which his parole prevented his gaining in service against the United States. And in France there seemed a promising harvest of combat and of glory, sufficient to satisfy the martial enthusiasm even of the most adventurous of her sons. When he sailed, he again and again pressed upon his sister to bestow every attention upon Ethelston; and as the Captain was