said also that if the messieurs chose to examine the speronari off here away, they would remark that they were reefing their lateen sails, and using their sweeps to get under shelter of the land before night. We replied that he, director, was a sailor, every inch of him, and if he wasn't in a hurry to get to the Danube it was all the same to us, and we should like to punch a hole in one of those casks of Rhone wine for the purpose of drinking his health, and our own-being delicate-likewise, at the same time.

Director soon got his charge safely moored in a little rocky nook, and then Mademoiselle de Mouton rigged a table on deck, furnished us with a yard of bread apiece, a large flagon of Saint Esprit, a dish of sheep chops and potatoes, with fine herbs, when we went to work like men.

"There's nothing like sea air for health and appetite," exclaimed Dick, as he pinched the Duchesse's ruddy checks as she laid on a new supply of chops. "It makes one thirsty, too."

Director coincided in this opinion, and declared his intention of not leaving much good wine on board for the Danubians. 66 Not if he could in any way prevent it. Non! pas si béte! But do the messieurs ever drink Russian tea?"

We told him we had never tried that beverage, though we were totally unprejudiced persons, and would be quite willing to experiment with that or any other fluid he chose to produce.

me.

"Never tasted Russian tea!" cried director with surprise. "Here! Some one desire Monsieur Jaques to come to He makes it to a miracle." Presently Monsieur Jaques emerged from the hold, where he had been rubbing up his rods and pipes, and though he was somewhat greasy and grimy, and highly impregnated with lamp oil, yet he made us the politest speech possible as we made room for him at the table. La Vallière brought a bottle of cognac, sugar and sliced lemons, all of which ingredients Monsieur Jaques put into a jug containing a decoction of hot strong black tea. "There," said director, goûtez-moi cela.” We did gouter it at first, and then emptied our tumblers.

Dick, after noting down in the little book that French stokers universally were highly accomplished gentlemen,

and made tea-punch as well as a Hetman of the Don Cossacks, declared that Monsieur Jaques ought to be decorated with the orders of Boiler and Corkscrew, of first class, for skill and invention.

"Apropos," went on Dick, twirling his front hair, so as to make space for a fresh tumbler of tea and not swallow the

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entire moustache. Apropos, Messieurs, I am an inventor myself. Great genius that way in our country, and I wish to present the last idea I have developed for your consideration."

"Ah! tiens! tiens!" said M. Jaques, crossing his flippers, and regarding Dick with fixed attention. "Monsieur invents something?"

"Buvons!" observed director, as he took a prismatic view of the company through his tumbler of punch, with the rim to his lips.

"Eh bien, mes amis, in view of the present war in the East, and the unnumbered limbs that will be knocked off by round-shot, Minie, or other projectiles, this occurs to me as the proper time to introduce my great invention of legs-"

"Ah! what is it?" I said. "Cork, lignum vitae, or caoutchouc ?"

"Neither, Mr. Scatterbrains. My plan is simply this: Leg off-say above the knee. On a light steel frame, in shape of calf, foot, etc., with a tibia rod in centre, and cased with gutta percha, I form the limb. It is to be hollow, mind you, and nicely arranged with compartments, little doors, drawers, et cetera, where can be stowed some preserved meats, bottle of brandy, bologna sausage, a few shirts and toilet articles-in short, a week's provisions and raiment. The advantage I shall gain by this contrivance-to say nothing of the blessings of mankind—is to have the exact weight of the original leg, with none of the useless mass of bones, muscles, and what not which encumbers a mortal in the present means of ambulation."

"O! but the Faculty will object!" I suggested.

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They can't," said Dick, "for I'll compromise matters with them by devoting the vacant space in the toes to the preparations of the materia medica, pills, nostrums, and the like-a regular medicine-chest, in fact. Then the thing is done. You meet a friend anywhere; come and stay with me, says he; you step into friend's house, unlock your leg, take out your equipments, and then you are all comfortable, with no expense for

porterage or extra luggage. It is my conviction, when this system is fairly presented to the public, that people will prefer these legs to the crooked spindleshanks they have all along been using. Now, suppose, Monsieur Jaques, you permit me to begin with you," said Dick, as he affectionately jerked one of his heels from under him, and laid it on the table, same time handling the breadknife; "it will only take a minute, and-"

M. Jaques recovered his equilibrium by a violent kick, and declined the honor until Dick had got out a patent for his invention. Director of boats emptied his glass, and said, "Comme il blague, ce jeune homme-là !" and left us. Dick and I made a shake-down below, and turned in.

We passed three days under the heel of the Calabrian boot, and never a brigand came to shoot at us, though we closely scrutinized all the rocky cliffs in our neighborhood, and were anxious to behold them. It was, however, a contented existence-no duns, no sharpers or beggars, no annoyances at all, and health improving. We tapped another wine-barrel, smoked Cubas, drank Russian tea, conversed sociably with the French ladies during their struggles with the sheep chops in the culinary department, and became bosom friends in the matter of shirts-with M. Jaques and director of boats. Dick learned to work one of the little engines when there was no steam up, and made a visit inside one of the boilers.

One evening director took out his telescope, and began to sniff about around the bows. He said it was going to be a calm night. Mount Etna was a good barometer, and its head was clear. The speronari boats were creeping off from the land, and things looked all right out Ionia way. So he wound up the anchor, roared down the hold to M. Jaques, and with the declining sun we leaped out to sea. Director pulled his wool-hat tight over his ears, declined Russian tea, and we could hear him in conversation with M. Jaques for encore plus steam all night.

Next morning, when Dick and I had taken a dip, and dried our faces on Mademoiselle de Mouton's jupon, by way of napkin-which she objected to while wearing that garment-we were flying along the Morea in among the Ionian Islands, with snow-topped mountains

nearly over our heads. We only could catch a daguerreotype-view of the scenery, for the little engines were clanking at top speed, and the wheels driving the vessel like a hurricane. In the course of the morning, director told us we were passing Navarino; that there had been a battle there, very respectable, a long time ago, but then the English, by a great oversight, fired at the Turks instead of the Russians. After he had imparted this information he armed himself again with the little telescope, and sniffed away over the bows.

Morbleu!" director said, "that sacré wind is tearing with a gross sea round Cape Matapan, mais, nous le battrons."

With this determination to bat the waves, we presently began to plunge and roll a little-very little at first-but byand-by, the swift little steamer met the short rollers, a squall struck her on the side, and she got to be as uneasy as if she were troubled with the bowel complaint. The water came all over us. The men with the sheepskin caps were invisible for some minutes, and the duchess, with her faithful ally, Miss Mutton, were evidently far from well. Dick himself looked pale, and drank brandy. Yet the brave director pushed on for some miles, until a big sea boarded us, knocked over the caboose, and pitched down in amongst M. Jaques and his machinery. Then director turned aside, and steered into a large bay, where everything became quiet and peaceful once more.

I say, mon ami director, what place is this?" I inquired.

"Hom! it is the Gulf of Kolokythia."

Dick said he felt koloky something himself, and desired La Vallière to keep bringing him brandy continually. This prescription soon restored my friend, and we looked around us.

The first objects which presented themselves, were two or three troopships, with an entire broadside battery of horses' heads sticking out at the sides, while above were some thousands of red-legged French soldiers, like so many beds of ripe strawberries clustering in bunches everywhere. There did not seem to be very strict discipline maintained on board the transports; for, as we demurely anchored near one, those scarlet rogues removed their short pipes from their teeth, and opened a desultory conversation with our ladies of the caboose. They sang short

songs of amor to them, and, in the most frank and cordial manner, invited them to come immediately on board to see the brave Zouaves. One fellow capered about the taffrail, and requested the pleasure of performing the cancan with La Vallière à la distance. They even remarked upon Dick's moustache -sketched our characters and pursuits from memory, and appeared to derive much enjoyment therefrom.

Dick asked if they had had smoked Arabs for breakfast-if they could change him a two sous piece-supposing they had so much money about them and whether they preferred chasse-cousin wine to champagne. He did not, however, elicit much valuable information from them on these topics, and the incensed director-whom they likened to an Angora goat-and M. Jaques to an illustrious pig-decided to grub up the anchor, and move out of tongue-reach of the brave Zouaves.

Director said, "positively, he would rather be assassinated by Greek pirates, than to rest longer near such bad subjects." Miss Mouton was in such an enraged state that Dick felt it his duty to pinch her cheeks repeatedly. I pursued nearly the same treatment with the Duchesse out of pure sympathy, when, with a jorum of the Russian beverage, we all recovered our spirits. Indeed, had not those fair Provençals been betrothed to some steam stokers in their own country, what with our isolated position and propinquity, and the desire to merit their regard, added to our youth and inexperience, no one can positively say what matrimonial consequences might have ensued.

In the cool of the afternoon, after Dick had noted some observations in the small journal respecting the politeness evinced by the French army of the East to strangers, he proceeded to discourse upon the appearance of the country.

"We are in Greece, sir," said he, "though I don't know enough of the geography to tell you whether it be Macedonia, Albania, or Acadia, but possibly the latter, and it recalls vividly to my mind the Græca Majora, and the exploits of Xenophon. Everything is pure classic about here-country like

a burnt brick, and bare as glass. Nothing to withdraw the student from the contemplation of the ancient statesmen and warriors, and their superhuman orations and battles. Very few streams or torrents to be seen," continued the lecturer, as he shaded his eyes and peered around the sweeping gulf, “not so much as a bucketful of fresh water or blade of green to be seen anywhere, though considerable is said of these things in ancient song; but, then, mark you, sir-look at those moderns there in that boat; they seem to have abandoned the use of water altogether, and probably it is a traditionary privilege."

Director here observed that, "if those moderns in the boat caught a stray merchantman in a calm, it would go hard with her, as they were pirates by birth, instinct, and profession."

The next day Monsieur Jaques and director got under way, before the winds began to blow, and, shooting in among the islands of the Archipelago, we worked along, in our usual balloonlike speed, until night-fall. During the steaming I remarked that, whenever director cried for plus steam, M. Jaques would climb up his little iron ladder and remonstrate with his chief. It had no effect, however, until we approached a small island of pointed rocky heights, when there came a sharp, crinking crash and a smashing clatter, as if all the little engines below were playing at broad-sword exercise. The big wheels gave a fearful whirl, shuddered, and then stood still. The steam hissed and roared, the ladies of the caboose screamed, director swore, and Dick attempted to jump overboard.

"Sac'r'r'étonnerres!" shouted M. Jaques, as he rushed on deck, “we are broken to pieces."

Director threw his sheepskin at M. Jaques, who returned the compliment with his own. In fact, the crew generally went at director, and it was some minutes before the battle ceased. Then, when the hubbub had partially subsided, we got out the small boats and towed the steamer into the harbor of Syra, where, being told a good deal of tinkering was required, which might last a long time, Dick and I, being in delicate health, went on shore.