"Ah! who have we here?" replied Sir Hercules, putting his hand up as a screen above his eyes. "Who are you, my man?" continued he. "Tom Saunders, your honour's coxswain, as was in the Druid," replied my father, with another scrape at the gravel, "taken in moorings at last, your honour. Hope to see your honour and your honourable ladyship quite well." "I recollect you now, my man," replied Sir Hercules, very stiffly. "And where did you lose your leg?" "Battle o' the Nile, your honour; Majesty's ship Oudacious." "How interesting!" observed one of the ladies; "one of Sir Hercules' old men." "Yes, madam, and one of my best men. Lady Hercules, you must recollect him," said Sir Hercules. "I should think so, Sir Hercules," replied the lady; "did I not give him my own lady's maid in marriage?" "Dear me, how _excessively_ interesting!" said another of the party. Now, this was a little event in which Sir Hercules and Lady Hercules stood prominent; it added to their importance for the moment, and therefore they were both pleased. Lady Hercules then said, "And pray, my good man, how is your wife?" "Quite well and hearty, at your ladyship's sarvice," replied my father; "and, please your ladyship, these two be our children." "Bless me, how interesting!" exclaimed another lady. "And remarkably well bred 'uns," remarked a short gentleman in a fox-hunting coat, examining Virginia through his eye-glass; "coxswain, filly--dam, lady's maid." "What is your name, child?" said Lady Hercules to Virginia. "Virginia, ma'am," replied my sister, with a courtesy. "You must say `Lady Hercules,' my dear," said my father, stooping down. "My name is Virginia, Lady Hercules," replied my sister, courtesying again. "Indeed; then I suppose you are named after me?" "Yes, your ladyship; hope no offence--but we did take the liberty," replied my father. "And what is yours, boy?" "Thomas, Lady Hercules," replied I, with a bow and scrape, after my father's receipt for politeness. "And where is your mother?" said Sir Hercules. "Mother's at home, Lady Hercules," replied I, with another scrape. "How _very_ interesting!" exclaimed one of the party. "Quite an event!" said another. "A delightful _rencontre_!" cried a third. "How kind of you, Lady Hercules, to give up your own maid! and such handsome children," etcetera, etcetera. "It's really quite charming." Lady Hercules was evidently much pleased, and she assumed the patroness. "Well, little girl, since you have been named after me, out of gratitude I must see what can be done for you. Tell your mother to come up to me to-morrow at three o'clock, and bring you with her." "Yes, Lady Hercules," replied Virginia, with a courtesy. "And Saunders, you may as well come up at the same time, and bring your lad with you," added Sir Hercules. "Yes, your honour," replied my father, both he and I simultaneously scraping the gravel.