dining-room--to steer him into port for necessary supplies. The little
Iron-Clad followed in his wake. At table, the old gentleman resumed the
account of his dealings with parish number three, and got on as far as
negotiations with number four; occasionally stopping to eat his soup or
roast-beef very fast; at which time Jacob Menzel, who was very much
absorbed in his dinner, but never permitted himself to neglect business
for pleasure, paused at the proper intervals, with his spoon or fork
half-way to his mouth, and nodded,--just as if my uncle had been
speaking,--yielding assent to his last remarks after mature
consideration, no doubt the old gentleman thought.

The fun of the thing wore off after a while, and then we experienced
the solid advantages of having an Iron-Clad in the house;
Afternoon--evening--the next day--my little man of business performed
his function promptly and assiduously. But in the afternoon of the
second day he began to change perceptibly. He wore an aspect of languor
and melancholy that alarmed me. The next morning he was pale, and went
to his work with an air of sorrowful resignation.

"He is thinking of Fatherland," said the sympathizing Dolly; while
Harry's less refined but more sprightly comment was, that the nose had
about played out.

Indeed it had almost ceased to wave; and I feared that I was about to
lose a most valuable servant, whose place it would be impossible to
fill. Accordingly I wrote on a slip of paper, which I sent in to him,"--

"You have done well, and I raise your salary to a dollar and a quarter a
day. Your influence over our unfortunate relative is soothing and
beneficial. Go on as you have begun,--continue in well-doing, and merit