"Nor we ain't no enemies, neither, Mrs. Graham," replied Haines, with more self-possession than I had seen him display during the entire evening; "if our countries are clawin' at each other 'tain't no reason why we should fight!" A few minutes later we took our leave. Next day we visited a tailor, and procured clothing that was not likely to be remarked as foreign garb, and from that time on we lived very quietly. I was a frequent, almost a daily, visitor at the house of the Grahams; dined and took tea with them quite often; walked out occasionally with the two girls; and spent many an hour in their charming little parlor. Mrs. Graham suggested that I ought to write the story of my adventures to pass away the time; and it was by her prompting that I devoted my forenoons to putting on paper the narrative which is rapidly coming to an end. Haines amused himself by taking short strolls around Portsmouth and its suburbs of Southsea and Portsea; but he was very cautious about his movements, lest he might be impressed, and taken to serve on one of his Majesty's ships. On his account I ransacked an old book-store, and bought a supply of sea stories and other reading matter, with which he whiled away a good many hours. He never ventured out at night, but haunted the smoking-room of our lodging-house, where he was a general favorite on account of his facility at spinning yarns, of which the majority were of other material than the pure, unadulterated wool of truth. One morning he went out for his usual promenade, leaving me busy in my room with my writing. He came back fully an hour before his accustomed time, rushing into my room, very red in the face, and puffing considerably from having walked with much more than ordinary rapidity. He dropped into a chair, ejaculating as he did so,-- "Shiver my timbers, Captain, but there's big news!" "What is it?" I asked, as I ceased writing and placed my pen on the table. "What is it! Well, the news is the two countries have made peace; and you and me won't be the enemies of the Grahams no more." "The captain was correct in his predictions," I replied, "when he said the war would not last much longer. We'll have a chance to go home now; and the first thing to look after is the liberation of the crew of the Marguerite. I'll go at once to the Grahams' and ascertain if the news is well founded, or only a rumor." "Seems to me it has a good foundation," said Haines, "as they've got a big placard up in front of the post-office, saying there's peace between Great Britain and the United States! I heard a feller say it came down by semaphore from London. The semaphore was a-workin' at a lively rate; but, of course, I don't know nothin' more about it than a cat does about boxin' the compass!" * * * * *