be in a down-channel tide; and instead of pulling hard against it,
he'll let his boats drift, and that will bring 'em right into
Budmouth Bay. 'Twill be a beautiful stroke of war, if so be 'tis
quietly done!'

'Beautiful,' said Cripplestraw, moving inside his clothes. 'But how
if we should be all abed, corpel? You can't expect a man to be
brave in his shirt, especially we Locals, that have only got so far
as shoulder fire-locks.'

'He's not coming this summer. He'll never come at all,' said a tall
sergeant-major decisively.

Loveday the soldier was too much engaged in attending upon Anne and
her mother to join in these surmises, bestirring himself to get the
ladies some of the best liquor the house afforded, which had, as a
matter of fact, crossed the Channel as privately as Buonaparte
wished his army to do, and had been landed on a dark night over the
cliff. After this he asked Anne to sing, but though she had a very
pretty voice in private performances of that nature, she declined to
oblige him; turning the subject by making a hesitating inquiry about
his brother Robert, whom he had mentioned just before.

'Robert is as well as ever, thank you, Miss Garland,' he said. 'He
is now mate of the brig Pewit--rather young for such a command; but
the owner puts great trust in him.' The trumpet-major added,
deepening his thoughts to a profounder view of the person discussed,
'Bob is in love.'

Anne looked conscious, and listened attentively; but Loveday did not