"'I beg pardon, Sir Charles,' said the mate, coming up and taking off his cap, 'but might I use the freedom--perhaps yourself and Miss Hyde would like to visit the French brig?' The judge looked at his daughter as much as to ask if she would like it. 'Oh yes! so much!' exclaimed she, her bright eyes sparkling, 'shall we?' 'No! Not _I_!' said Sir Charles. 'I shall take my siesta. Quite safe, sir--eh?' 'Oh, quite safe, Sir Charles!' said Finch, 'a dead calm, sir--I'll take the utmost care you may be sure, Sir Charles--as safe as the deck, sir!' 'Oh, very well,' replied the judge, and he walked down to see after his tiffin. The young lady was going down the quarter-gallery stair, when I caught my opportunity to say--'I hope you'll excuse it, Miss Hyde, ma'am--but I _do_ trust you'll not risk going in the boat so far, just now!' Half a minute after I spoke, she turned round, and looked at me with a curious sort of expression in her charming face, which I couldn't make out--whether it was mischievous, whether it was pettish, or whether 'twas inquisitive. 'Dear me!' said she, 'why--do you----' 'The weather might change,' I said, looking round about, 'and I shouldn't wonder if it did--or a swell might get up--or----' 'I must say, Mr--Mr Collins,' said she, laughing slightly, 'you are very gloomy in your anticipations--almost timorous, I declare! I wonder how you came to be so weather-wise! But why did you not advise poor Mrs Brady, now?' I couldn't see her face as she spoke, but the tone of the last words made me feel I'd have given worlds to look round and see what it was like at the moment. 'Perhaps, ma'am,' said I, 'you may remember the _rain_?' 'Well, we shall see, sir!' replied she, glancing up with a bright sparkle in her eye for an instant, but only toward the end of the spanker-boom, as it were; and then tripping down the stair.