‘It has proved so, since it has deceived you,’ said Fanny, laughing through her tears of joy. ‘It was well conceived, my noble girl,’ said Lovell, ‘and these clothes too--I never saw you look more interesting.’ Fanny managed to blush even through the deep tinge of brown that bronzed her handsome cheek. And when does a female look more interesting than when betraying the modest color of virtue. It is a rainbow from the heart showing it to be unvitiated by the evil and bitterness of the world. ‘Shall I wear these to the end of the voyage?’ asked Fanny. ‘Ask no privilege of me,’ said Lovell, you are still master and commander here, and will, I hope, continue so.’ ‘I, too, have thought it best--indeed absolutely necessary that I should continue my disguise until our arrival in port.’ ‘It is, certainly,’ said Lovell. ‘But tell me, Fanny, how you possibly could have attained the knowledge you have displayed in this emergency? for I am free to confess you have sailed this brig as well, and commanded these turbulent fellows, as I could have done it with years of experience.’ ‘I’ll tell thee, William. Soon after your departure from home, my heart being on the sea, I made almost every trip out with my father, for the whole season, until I understood fully the management of the schooner, which, you remember, was half a brig in its rig. I read, too, every nautical work I could procure, from love alone of the sea, where I knew you were, but never in my most romantic moments did I imagine that these acquirements would be of the service to me which they have proved. Of our kind friend Rev. Mr. Livingston, of Boston, I learned navigation, practically too, for you know he was for many years a seaman. Since then, experience and good fortune have done the rest.’ ‘Thou hast been a most apt scholar.’ ‘Say rather a willing one, William.’ ‘I may say both, and say truly.’ ‘Stubborn as ever,’ said Fanny, playfully. ‘But why have you kept concealed from me these four days?’ ‘I have confined myself below so much of the time to enable you to find yourself fairly at liberty before you should know that it was your Fanny who had released you, backed by a generous and active crew. I believed it best for many reasons and thought I should be happier to do so. I shall now appear as heretofore upon deck, and you shall see how willing and apt these fellows are. Would you believe it, William? they love me, I really believe, though I have put on a severity at times,’ and here Fanny scowled as fiercely as she might, by way of explanation. ‘How could they help loving thee, Fanny? said Lovell, pressing her fondly in his arms and impressing a kiss upon her lips. ‘There, that will do,’ said she, gently unclasping his embrace, ‘_you_ must not abate one iota in your respect or distance, William, while on deck, and before the people, or we may have another mutiny; be careful you address me as Captain Channing, don’t be forgetful.’ ‘I’ll remember, trust me.’