a movement of impatience.

"That animal, Raymond, grows like a very porpoise,"
remarked a young captain, who prided himself much on the
excessive smallness of his waist. "Methinks that, like
the ground hogs that abound on his Island, he must fatten
on hickory nuts. Only see how the man melts in the noon-day
sun. But as you say, Villiers, what can bring him here
without an order from the General? And then the gun last
fired. Ha! I have it. He has discovered a Yankee boat
stealing along through the other channel."

"No doubt there is CRAFT of some description IN THE WIND,"
pursued the incorrigible Middlemore, with the same affected
unconsciousness; "and that may account for poor Raymond
being BLOWN here."

"Ha! severe, are you," returned Captain Molineux, the
Officer who had commented so freely upon the appearance
of the fat Lieutenant in the boat." But your pun, infamous
as it would be at the best, is utterly without point now,
for there has not been a breath of wind stirring during
the whole morning."

"Pun, did you say?" exclaimed Middlemore, with well affected
surprise at the charge." My dear fellow, I meant no pun."

Further remark was checked by an impatience to learn the
cause of Lieutenant Raymond's abrupt appearance, and the
officers approached the principal group. The former had