little face."

"She's quite well, and as pretty and as good as ever."

"Well, Tom, my boy, you stood by your father when he was in trouble, and
now he'll stand by you. How does your mother treat you?"

"We get on pretty well--not over-fond of each other."

[Illustration: JACK'S FATHER LANDING AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE
NILE.--Marryat, Vol X., p. 133.]

"Well, Tom, I've only one pin left; but I say," continued my father,
with a wink of his eye, "I haven't left my tail behind me, 'cause it may
be useful, you know. Now we must all go up to the governor of the
hospital for inspection, and I suppose we shall be kept for some time;
so you may run home and tell your mother that I've come back in a
perfect good-humor, and that it will be her fault if she puts me
out--that's all."

"I will, father; and then I'll come to you at the hospital."

I ran home to communicate the important intelligence to my mother and to
Virginia, who had as usual come from school for her dinner.

"Mother," says I, out of breath, "who do you think has come back?"

"Comeback?" said she. "_Back?_ Not your father?"

"Yes," says I, "my father. I just left him."