necessary number. On the other hand, Lieutenant Ramsay demanded a court-martial on Livingstone for unofficerlike conduct. This also was granted, and the same judge, for the same reason, retained among the rest to try both causes. The formalities of opening the court having been gone through, the witnesses were called, and, from amid all the tedious delay and prolixity of court-martial examination, this was the story to be inferred from the evidence: in the first place, that Mr. Ramsay, being one of the officers of the frigate, and introduced by her captain to his table, had there for the first time encountered the captain's daughter, and became attached to her: that he had afterwards seized every possible opportunity of ingratiating himself in her favour. Nor did this, in the mind of some parties, appear to be anything like the worst point of the case. Not only had Ramsay attached himself to Miss Livingstone, but, infinitely greater crime in him, had found some method of inducing the lady to return his affection.

It next appeared that Angela's brother, having taken great exception to these proceedings, lost no opportunity of remonstrating with either party, without producing much effect beyond that of greatly increasing the treasonous affection of both. That finding this to be the result of his labours, he had ventured on still warmer expostulations, calling the suitor a damned puppy, and using other expressions equally expressive of the prosecutor's regard, and the desire he entertained of the prisoner's alliance; on which the prisoner, in contempt and defiance of the wellknown articles of war, had, for the purpose of personal violence," raised his hand against his superior officer." For all of which charges the most irrefragable testimony having been adduced, Lieutenant Ramsay was broken, and peremptorily dismissed from the service of his Majesty.

The two parties now changed positions as prisoner and prosecutor; and the same testimony having been delivered in a slightly different way, Lieutenant Livingstone was dismissed the service in consequence of ungentlemanlike language. In consequence, however, of the great provocation he had received, he was forthwith reinstated, with much admonition how he should in future guide himself. The honourable court now broke up, fully satisfied of having in every way discharged its duty according to its oath, but more especially the father-the mild, the amiable Captain Livingstone, whose wishes and intentions towards the prisoner were now merely to "cut his liver out, and

nothing more." On Ramsay the blow fell with less violence than his enemies had expected. They knew not, in the first place, how fully he was prepared for the stroke, nor, in the second, that his whole faculties were absorbed in preparing to escape the deeper gulf into which it was the firm resolve of his enemies to plunge him. Anxiously had he looked from time to time at his faithful friend, the surgeon's head, but the quills did not yet bristle on "the fretful porcupine;" and when the court broke up, he found himself standing solitary and avoided. Around young Livingstone he saw several of his late messmates crowding forward, to offer him their slavish and hypocritical congratulations-men whom he had often heard condemning the same creature behind his back, for all the meaṇnesses under heaven. His father also, and several of the other members of the court, came forward to shake hands with and take him below to luncheon; while on Ramsay the only looks bestowed were those of cold indifference or half-concealed contempt; and this from many who, in the sunshine of his day, had basked and laughed with him, ready to receive any favour or obligation in his power to grant. His blood boiled fiercely in his veins as he witnessed these sad proofs of human littleness. But then, thought he, it will be the same in all times while the abject species shall endure, and they are only fools who expect aught beside. What says the immortal Shakspeare?"Men's eyes did scowl on Richard-no one cried, God save him!"

As these bitter reflections passed through his mind, he questioned of himself what should prevent him from stepping forth, and hurling insult and defiance in his late accuser's teeth, now that the bonds of the service no longer held him down in slavery. In another instant he had done so, but the thought of her to whom he was betrothed intervened. That reflection convinced him that any mean and despicable triumph over himself should be permitted, rather than that he should provoke an encounter which might end in his taking her brother's life-an accident that might place an insuperable barrier between himself and the object of those deep hopes and strong affections for which he had already not only perilled but lost all. Mustering all his fortitude, therefore, to receive with the panoply of scorn the keen arrows of desertion, he looked at his watch with that feverish anxiety which is the first offspring of misfortune. "What if even my tried old friend should waver now! we know not who may fall

away from us till the hour of trial comes. If the appointment, for which I am so anxious, should not be obtainable, then am I indeed lost; yet if it were, surely by this time I should have received it. At any rate I can linger here no longer. I suppose I must, therefore, go through the form of removing from the frigate those few things which another hour may witness carried back, like myself, by force."

"By your leave, sir, if you please, make way." These words, pronounced in a loud authoritative tone, as if they came from the lips of a man wholly unsubservient to any control save such as pleased himself, came upon the ear with a sudden surprise, and strangely contrasted with the low sickly whisper of the thronging underlings, who, as they had no voice for the acknowledgment of a soul, took care to put as little soul as possible into their voice. The accents, however, struck more sharply upon Ramsay's senses, and, turning round, with delighted eye he beheld make toward him a portly figure, whose topnot stood as perpendicular as the back of a drill-sergeant. Many members of the court had not retired, and anxious to commit his friend as little as possible, Ramsay did not intend to recognise his messmate by more than a private look; but the other, elevating his voice into a still louder key, strode forward with glowing features and outstretched hand, saying, as he greeted the late prisoner with a friendly shake, "Ramsay, my dear boy, I congratulate you on being a free man at last—how are you?"

Had the Palladium, as of old, in Troy, dropped down among the surrounding bevy, they could not have viewed it with more utter surprise than they did this audacious outbreak of friendship and good feeling in a spot whence both seemed, by universal consent, to have been banished. Had the gift of empires been in Ramsay's power, the noblest of them all had been his friend's-so dear to us in adversity becomes that fidelity, the value of which in our prosperity we had scarcely known. To this, however, it should be also added, that had Ramsay possessed wealth and empire beyond that which mortal has ever yet owned, no gift, however costly, could have brought to the bosom of his friend half the satisfaction then glowing in it from the knowledge of self-worth-no idle dream of ill-based vanity, nursing itself in the belief of virtue, which the first rude touch of affliction would dispel; but the ineffaceable consciousness of one who has fought the good fight, and stood firm when all beside have fled.

VOL. I.-D

According to agreement, Ramsay at once complained of severe indisposition, and the surgeon, taking him into the unoccupied cabin, beyond that in which the court-martial had been held, was no sooner satisfied of their being alone than he put into his hand an appointment as captain of a merchant brig then lying in harbour. Some difficulty had been experienced in obtaining this, but, as the surgeon said, he had placed the matter in the hands of one whose every effort had been excited to attain the end in view. With eager eyes, and a voice so agitated as almost to prevent the expression of his thanks, Ramsay ran over the paper.

“Then, with this, doctor, you think I may venture without a fear."

"Venture? ay-there-no thanks. You will find me ashore to-night at my usual rendezvous—so let us be content then to drink better luck for the future;" then opening the door, he said aloud, "Perhaps you will wait till the surgeon can send you something." Ramsay obeyed this hint, and presently received a couple of drachms of red lavender in some sugar and water, which, after all the anxiety gone through, did him at least no harm.

CHAPTER VI.

Ah! what can a courageous heart avail
When cunning's aim and poison'd darts assail?

WITH a proud and honest heart did Ramsay now commit himself to the boat that was to bear him back to the frigate, to obtain his various luggage, &c. Here a fresh indignity had been thrust upon him. The vacancy in the ship's number of lieutenant's, caused by the court-martial, had been filled up by the admiral's clerk, within a few minutes of its taking place, on a commission signed by the admiral the day before the trial; Ramsay's vacancy being thus given to one of the commander in-chief's protégés. This young man Captain Livingstone had seen beforehand. He knew that the appointment was to be his, and he was ordered, so soon as his commission should be filled up, to repair on board the frigate without a moment's delay. This he did: and until Ramsay's things could be

removed from his late cabin, those of the new officer remained on the maindeck. These Captain Livingstone espied the moment after he came on board, and learning the cause of their being there, gave instant orders to have Ramsay's trunks and other property turned out pellmell upon the lower deck; with this addition, that if the unfortunate owner did not appear on board within half an hour, they were to be thrown overboard. That such would have been their fate too, no one who knew the character of the captain could doubt.

Fortunately, as Ramsay thought, he himself arrived ten minutes before the expiration of the specified time. He found many small articles of his property stolen, and the whole tumbled over into the dirt and dust of the lower deck-all of them injured, and not a few spoiled by the treatment. "Thank Heaven!" muttered he, "I am nearly out of their power now, so it is not worth while to grieve over this abject, petty act of despicable meanness."

A shore-boat was already waiting for him alongside. Into this his traps were quickly handed, and he followed the last parcel. Among the seamen and junior officers were many who loved him, not only for his bravery, but many acts of kindness, any opportunity of doing which he had never neglected. Many of them crowded round the gangway, and, had the captain been absent from the quarter-deck, would doubtless have testified it in their own rough way; but no one dared to step forward; and indeed Ramsay would have been greatly grieved if they had done so, since no one knew better than he, how great would be the animosity which such a step would draw down upon themselves, and how unavailing the tribute of kindness to himself. He certainly did pause for a moment, and look round to see if any of his messmates were there. Not one, save the officer of the watch, was to be seen, and he was busily engaged in looking in the opposite direction.

On his way from the lower deck, Ramsay had looked into the gunroom, and seeing no one, of course concluded that they were all on deck. He now knew that they must have retired to their cabins; and as for the surgeon, he had remained on board the flagship to dine. Thinking that such faint-hearted sycophants well deserved the despot that commanded them, he was about to step over the side, when a tiny hand was put forward in his way, and a youthful voice said, "Good-by, Mr. Ramsay; I wish you every happiness."

Ramsay looked down, and, as he did so, perceived the