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 lieutenants, 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 now 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

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I wish you every happiness."

Ramsay looked down, and, as he did so, perceived the youngster of his watch, a boy of scarcely fourteen years, whose native nobleness of heart had so immeasurably shamed his seniors. Grasping the lad warmly, he contented himself with looking the gratitude he felt, and descended to his boat; for he was fearful that, had he spoken, the captain's attention would have been drawn to what might otherwise have escaped his notice. It was a good but vain precaution. Before he had gone a hundred yards from the ship, he turned and beheld his