"'SYDNEY OLIPHANT.'"

The tears were standing in Nellie's eyes, and her voice trembled as
she read. When she finished she burst out crying.

"There!" John Wilkes exclaimed, bringing his fist down upon the
table. "I knew, by what that skipper said, the lad had been doing
something quite out of the way, but when I spoke to him about it
before you came in he only said that he had tried his best to do his
duty, just as every other man in the Fleet had done. Who would have
thought, Captain Dave, that that quiet young chap, who used to sit
down below making out your accounts, was going to turn out a hero?"

"Who, indeed?" the Captain said, wiping his eyes with the back of his
hands. "Why, he wasn't more than fifteen then, and, as you say, such
a quiet fellow. He used to sit there and write, and never speak
unless I spoke to him. 'Tis scarce two years ago, and look what he
has done! Who would have thought it? I can't finish my breakfast," he
went on, getting up from his seat, "till I have gone in and shaken
him by the hand."

"You had better not, David," Mrs. Dowsett said gently. "We had best
say but little to him about it now. We can let him know we have heard
how he came by his burns from Lord Oliphant, but do not let us make
much of it. Had he wished it he would have told us himself."

Captain Dave sat down again.

"Perhaps you are right, my dear. At any rate, till he is getting
strong we will not tell him what we think of him. Anyhow, it can't do