Another dead lull--presently the old servant, who had gone to the lobby to deliver the message, returned into the room, and as he placed a fresh bottle of wine on the table, he said--"The man says Mrs Pigwell has got a sad fright, sir--taken in labour, sir." "There, Master Benjamin, there--I am sure I wish you had gone to the coast of Africa before this had happened--I was an old soft hearted fool to stand in the way." "Well, my dear uncle, it is not too late yet"--said I, a good deal piqued. Not a word from him--"I am sorry to see you have taken such offence where none was meant. It was a piece of folly, I admit, and I am sincerely sorry for it." Still silent--"Jennings is still at anchor down below--I can easily be ready to-morrow, and there is no appearance of the wind changing--so, pray, do let me go." "You may go to the devil, sir, for me"--and off he started, fizzing, worse than the rocket itself, with rage to his dressing-room, where he often used to pass an hour or two in the evenings alone. I sat still, guzzling my wine in great wrath.--Enter Peregrine again. I was always a favourite with the old fellow, although he had been seriously angry at first, when he saw that my absurd prank had put his old master so cruelly out. Now, however, I perceived he was anxious to make up for it. "Lord, Master Benjamin, your uncle is in such a taking you never se'ed--why, do you know, the first thing he did when he went to his dressing-room was to hang his wig on the lighted candle, instead of the pillar of the looking glass; and then we were all in darkness, you see--so, in groping my way out, I popped my foot into the hot water in the foot-pail that he had ordered up, and this scalded me so, that, forgetting where I was, I could not help swearing a bit, Master Benjamin;--on which he opened the door, and thrust me out, neck and crop, calling me a blasphemous old villain--although we all know he is not slack at a good rousing oath himself when his bristles are up; but to call me an old blasphemer--_me!_ who have sarved him faithfully for thirty years, in various parts of the world--a blasphemous old villain, indeed!" I saw no more of my uncle that night, and when we met next morning at breakfast, I was rejoiced to find the gale had blown itself out. When I sat down, he looked across the table at me, as if expecting me to speak, but as I held my peace, the good old man opened the conference himself. "Why, Benjie, my boy, I have been laughing over our fright, yesterday; but have done with your jokes, Master, if you please, and no more about that infernal coast of"---- "Mr Pigwell has just called, sir," quoth old Peregrine, entering at this moment--"and desires me to say that Mrs Pigwell is brought to bed, sir, and _all_ doing well, sir, notwithstanding the fright." "Glad of it, Peregrine--my compliments--wish him joy--but _all_, what do you mean by _all_?" "She has got twins, sir." "The deuce! twins!" "Yes, sir, _three_ on 'em, sir."