Mason pocketed the guinea, nothing loth-(it was the first the baronet had ever been known to give beforehand for services in prospect)—and then came on deck and announced that Sir Timothy felt himself too unwell to leave the cabin. Mrs. and the Miss Griggses were the only people who expressed any commiseration for the baronet -the rest only laughed at the announcement, and it was proposed to send him off a hairdresser with a collection of wigs, and a hatter with some hats, that he might select some fit coverings for his head. Mrs. Griggs sent him by Mason a pressing invitation for the evening, which was passed in a highly satisfactory manner, but he did not make his appearance.

CHAPTER IV.

COWES REGATTA IN 1866, AND VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH IT. RIPPLE, or rather Miss Sarah, his sister, had invited the Griggs's girls and Ada Broadhurst to stay with them for the Cowes Regatta week, and to go to the Club Ball. In spite of the years which have rolled by, and the numerous Yacht Clubs which have been established since that of the Yacht Squadron was formed, who can say that the Cowes Regatta has in any way fallen off from its pristine glory-that its fireworks are less brilliant, or that its ball is less fashionably attended than formerly? But there were the Griggs's girls and the Ripples', and probably others, who have no claim to belong to the fashionable world. Of course there were always such, in addition to the fashionables, plenty of Griggs's girls, and no lack of jolly girls like the Ripples', whose principle is to have good consciences, to feed well, and to laugh and grow fat. In spite of the blowing weather, the Dora was every day under weigh, accompanying the racing yachts, greatly to Ada Broadhurst's delight. Several interesting races took place, but the one in which Ada felt most interest was that round the island. The strong wind which had been blowing for some days from the westward gave promise of a heavy sea outside the Needles. Ripple's craft, the Oberon, did not get under weigh, and he and his party transferred themselves on board the Dora. She made sail about half an hour before the racing yachts, and hoved to to the westward. Twenty yachts entered, of different sizes, from Lord Ponsonby's Lufra, of 205 tons, to Sir Bruce Chichester's Rosebud, of 38 tons. Nine, however, only started, and got away in the following order at half-past ten. The Lulworth to windward, and then Titania, Blue Bell, Ocean, Pantomime, Egeria, Christabel, Iolanthe, and Lufra. There they lay in a row-silent and motionless. The preparation gun fired. The crews were on the alert, though everything had long before been got ready. The signal-gun at last was heard from the Castle. Up went a crowd of snowy canvas, and off started the vessels to the northward-the Lufra, having more sail to make, being the last; at the same time, once having got away, she tore after her competitors. The Arrow, the same Arrow of ancient days, so renowned for her speed when owned by her builder, the late Joseph Weld, of Lulworth Castle, was the first to go about on the north shore, and was then on her starboard tack standing for Egypt. It was a dead

beat down to the Needles, but every yacht was well handled and behaved well. Away they went, like a flock of sea-fowl taking flight. Over to the stiff breeze they heeled; yet, undaunted with what was before them, they heeled their course. Many a tack was made before they reached the Needles, and then, as they neared the rocks and got clear of Hurst Point, they felt the heavy sea rolling in. It was just the day to suit a powerful yawl-rigged craft like the Lufra; her quickness in stays enabled her soon to take the lead, which she maintained throughout, followed closely by the Arrow, which, had there been less wind, might possibly have been first. It was severely trying to the sea-going qualities of all the vessels, but especially of the smaller ones, as they crossed the bridge of the Needles, and, tacking, found the lofty cliffs of Scratchel's Bay and the west side of the rocks on their port bows. High above them was seen the old Needle lighthouse, and close down to the water, on the outer or northern Needle rock, the new one built on a platform, formed by scarping out the rock. Scarcely a finer sea view exists on the English coast; but none but well-seasoned yachtsmen or yachting ladies could just then enjoy it. The Dora had kept well ahead of the racing yachts.

66 Do you not think that you have had enough of this sea work, and would you not rather run back and meet the yachts as they come in from the other side?" asked Everheart of Ada Broadhurst.

"Oh no, no; let us go round as they do," she said. "It is very delightful and exciting, and we shall come to no harm, I hope."

"I trust not," answered Everheart. "The Dora is a well-built craft, and her spars are all sound, and her rigging well set up. She is fit to go round the world, and to live through any gales likely to be encountered."

Whatever others might have thought, the wishes of Miss Broadhurst were paramount. The yachts were soon enabled to weather the west-end of the island, and to keep away for St. Catharine's, having then the lofty white cliffs of the back of the Needle Downs on their port beam, and the opening of Freshwater-gate beyond. Far ahead appeared the tall white tower on the bold headland of St. Catharine's, off which runs a race perilous to small craft, and not pleasant even to larger vessels. The sun shone out brightly; the wind lessened, and the vessels were enabled to boom out their foresails on the starboard hand, every inch of canvas they could set drawing fully. They literally tore along through the lively water. The Arrow kept close in shore, and on her weather-beam hung the Blue Bell, a craft evidently destined to do something. Half a cable's length outside her came the Egeria, the water foaming from her bows; the three seemingly keeping equal pace with each other. The beautiful Titania came fourth; while the Pantomime, Lulworth, the little Christabel, and the Iolanthe followed. Thus they ran along the greater part of the south shore of the island, or rather the back of the island, jibing when they came off Dunnose, so as to bring their booms on their starboard side. When off Bembridge they had to take in square-sails, and, hauling close to the wind, stood through St. Helen's Roads. Some soon went about, and continued to work along the edge of Ryde sands. These were the Egeria, Pantomime, and Titania, followed by Lulworth and Christabel, while the Lufra, Arrow, and

Blue Bell stood up through Stoke's Bay. The Lufra went about at half-past three off Stoke's Bay pier, but the Blue Bell stood on much longer. Both then stood well over towards Ryde, and weathered all the other vessels by a considerable distance. The Arrow did not go about till off the Brambles, and, when she made her southern board, the Lufra was a long way to windward of her. The Pantomime eat the Egeria and Titania completely out of the wind, and was now fourth in the match. That the breeze was not a gentle one was shown by the veteran Lulworth having three reefs down in her mainsail. The wind, however, now falling still more, the Christabel to the westward of Ryde caught her up. From this time, the wind decreased so much that several of the racing yachts got jammed by an eastgoing tide. The Lufra was in first, having taken exactly six hours and a quarter to go round the island, a course not often performed by a sailing vessel in so short a time. The Arrow came in next, followed in order by the Blue Bell, Pantomime, and Egeria; but as the Arrow, on account of her well-known speed, and the Lufra, on account of her great size and power, had to allow the others time, the Blue Bell took the first prize, and the Pantomime and Egeria the two others.

"It is, indeed, a beautiful sight!" exclaimed Ada Broadhurst more than once, as the race continued. "I should so like to sail in a match, though what we are doing is the next best thing to it."

"I would gladly have entered had I thought so, for I fancy the Dora would have done herself credit," answered Everheart. "But I built her with the intention of going foreign, and a match like this tries a vessel's hull considerably."

"What, are you going away from England ?" she asked, suddenly looking up, and then allowing her gaze to rest on the deck as if she had put the question unintentionally.

"I had thought of doing so, but I am uncertain now whether or not I shall go to a distance," he answered, looking calmly at her. "I must be guided by circumstances."

"Had you thought of going to the Mediterranean ?" she asked, in a quiet tone. "There are more places of interest to visit within its confines than in any other part of the world."

*

"Certainly there are, but I have been there, and I had a fancy for a trip to the Pacific," said Everheart. "There are numberless romantic islands and interesting people to be seen there, especially those who have been brought out of barbarism into a state of comparative civilisation within a very short time. I speak not only of the Sandwich Islands, whose queen has lately visited England, but of numerous groups to the south-Tahiti and others. I am curious to see the dark-skinned people of Fiji, who were till lately such fierce cannibals, and whose king, who was not behind his subjects in that unpleasant propensity, has become a civilised man, and is highly spoken of for his intelligence and many kingly qualities."

"How interesting to visit such people, so thoroughly different to any to be found on this side of the globe, I should fancy," she observed, in the same tone as before. "I should thoroughly enjoy, if I were a man, a voyage of the sort you describe."

'My difficulty was to find a companion with whom I could be certain to pull well during the time we were away, who would wish to see what I wish to see, and to go where I wish to go. Trounsell is an excellent fellow, but he is apt to be satirical; he never looks at objects through rose-coloured spectacles, and has no practical romance about him. Some people have plenty of theoretical romance. That is, they like to read a romance and talk romantically, but are sadly put out directly any romantic or inconvenient incident occurs. Others, again, and I hope that I am among them, retain the childlike power of making a hut appear a palace, and a few bits of biscuit and cheese, garnished with mustard and cress and wild flowers, a feast."

"Ah, that is truly a delightful power," said Miss Broadhurst. "I believe that I also possess it in a certain degree; but much depends whether I am at the time happy and contented with the surrounding objects, animate or inanimate."

"That is, I suspect, my case, and therefore I endeavour, when I have the power, to surround myself only with those objects calculated to enlighten and enliven my mind. For a voyage which may last a couple of years or so, it is necessary to be very careful."

"Yes, it seems to me a considerable time out of a person's life," remarked Miss Broadhurst, and suddenly became silent and thoughtful.

The Dora held throughout the race a good position for seeing it; the rest of the party, in spite of two or three of them occasionally feeling a little of that stern leveller, sea-sickness, enjoyed the spectacle, and declared that they were perfectly ready to make the same trip another day. Trounsell had not been idle, but had done his best to work himself into the good graces of Phoebe Ripple; not a very difficult task, as she was not a hard-hearted damsel, and he was a finelooking, gentlemanly, and agreeable fellow. Those who saw how things were going, foretold that the two yachtsmen would be mated before the season was much farther advanced.

"If the Cowes ball doesn't do it, the Ryde will to a certainty," observed Ann Griggs to her sister Betty. "It is the best thing to happen to Ada, whether she gets her fortune or not. Papa says that she is certain to get it; but he is over-sanguine, and Sir Timothy told me that it was looked on as a very doubtful matter."

All the party were to go to the Cowes ball, and to return to Ryde the next day. The ball was brilliant as usual, and fast young ladies talked learnedly with yachting young gentlemen of affairs nautical. Sharp-eyed policemen in plain clothes prevented the entrance of disreputable characters, and two fashionably-dressed youths, with an innocent-looking girl and a dignified ladylike mother, were politely desired, in a low whisper, to return to their hotel, and to remember that the eye of a detective was on them. The youths seemed a little inclined to bluster, but were silent on hearing "Pooh! pooh! I know you, my boys!"-while the latter bowed a smiling acknowledgment of the attention shown them, and directed the coachman to drive back, as they had forgotten their tickets. To describe the guests who did get in would be impossible. The Ripples' girls were generally admired, and had no lack of partners; the Griggses were not quite so fortunate;

but, thanks to the exertions of their friends, they had no cause to complain.

Everheart had just danced with Miss Broadhurst, and had resigned her to Trounsell, when he saw Sir Timothy Witherby enter the room with several young ladies. A second glance assured him that one of them was the young lady whose likeness to Ada Broadhurst had struck him so forcibly, and he had no doubt that she was one of the cousins of whom Ripple had told him. Ripple at that moment joined him, and assured him that he was right in his conjectures.

"I wonder how they will meet," he said. "The Anthony Broadhursts hate our fair friend as they do poison, while she always speaks of them in the kindest manner. If left to herself, I do not believe that she would attempt to disturb them in their possessions, though Griggs says that they have not the slightest right to them."

Her cousins, however, did not go near Ada, and the room was so crowded, that possibly they did not for some time even see each other. Everheart was waiting till he could again place himself by her side, when Sir Timothy Witherby came up to him. Dick shrank with antipathy from the man. His curls had been renewed, fresh roses had been added to his cheeks; he was exquisitely got up. His appearance was well calculated to captivate a dowager or an advanced maiden, but was such as to create a nausea in the breasts of most young girls, and to obtain the contempt, if not the disgust, of most men.

will

"Have not had the pleasure of meeting you, Mr. Everheart, since my unfortunate cruise on board your vessel," said the baronet. " It was not your fault that it terminated so miserably to me, but you have the goodness not to mention the circumstance which occurred on board to any one. You understand me, Mr. Everheart ?"

Dick did not at all like the tone in which the baronet spoke; it seemed as if he wished to pick a quarrel with him.

"You must remember, Sir Timothy, that there were numerous witnesses to the occurrence, and that it is not likely that they will refrain from describing it. I cannot, for the life of me, understand what you mean."

"What I mean is very clear-that you are the owner of the vessel on board which this disagreeable event occurred, and that I must make you responsible," answered the baronet.

"In other words, you are determined to find a cause of quarrel, Sir Timothy. But understand that I never quarrel with any one. I have not mentioned the incident to which you refer, and, if it is known by any but those who were present, it is not through me. Will that satisfy you?" said Everheart, who judged, perhaps not wrongly, that Sir Timothy, if not decidedly drunk, was much excited by wine.

"Of course, my dear sir of course," answered Sir Timothy, his ideas taking another turn. "I am really obliged to you, and, to prove it, will give you a hint worth having. I see what you think of a certain young lady, a charming person, I'll allow, but she has not a sixpence, and will lose her cause-the lawsuit she is engaged in—to a certainty. You know all about it, probably? There is an important link in the necessary evidence missing. Griggs has only just found it He is in despair, but hasn't told her, and won't, I suspect, till