But, nevertheless, upon the day before she was expected to sail—without having informed his friends of his intention—Lord Dazzleright boarded the Petrel, desired to see the “Captain,” expressed his wish to take passage to America, and inquired if he could have a berth on that vessel; Barbara informed him plainly that he could _not_, that the cabin was already inconveniently crowded. Whereupon Lord Dazzleright expressed his willingness to put up with a hammock swung anywhere—in the steerage for instance. Barbara told him there was not a hammock to spare. Then would Miss Brande take him as freight? he asked, smilingly. No—the hold was packed from keel to deck, and could not stow another hundred-weight. “Well! Miss Brande would not certainly be so unkind as to refuse him a roost on the rigging; he could sleep on the top,” he persevered. “Lord Dazzleright, since you force me to say it, there is not an inch of space on board the Petrel at your disposal. Furthermore, under any circumstances, I should decline you as a passenger. Nor is it possible that you can ever have a berth in my vessel unless you should chance to be shipwrecked in our sight, in which case we should be obliged to pick you up,” said Barbara, with great severity. “Then I’ll go and get myself shipwrecked forthwith!” exclaimed Lord Dazzleright. “You perceive now, sir, I am busy. Good-morning. Avast there, Paul! what are you about!” and suddenly breaking off, Barbara hurried forward to look after her hands. “A Barbarian! a Savage! a Goth! a Vandal! a Cannibal! a Bearess! and the handsomest, most piquant, and provoking young creature I ever met with in my life! Upon my honor, I do not know which is the most inexplicable—that I should become infatuated with this young woman, or that she should repulse me! By my life, I do not understand it, unless she is rabid and has bitten me, and I am in process of becoming mad!” said the “glass of fashion,” as with a crest-fallen air he dropped himself into the boat and was rowed to the shore. The same evening it happened that Lord Dazzleright attended a ball at Almacks, where he was as usual the “cynosure of neighboring eyes,” the rich prey for which maneuvering mammas laid their plans, and mincing maidens laid their nets. But with the usual perversity of human nature, Baron Dazzleright obstinately refused to become enamored of any willing Lady Clara or Geraldine among them and perseveringly sighed after the dark-browed, eagle-eyed, lion-hearted girl of the sea, who cared less for his baronial coronet than for her little brother’s tarpaulin hat; less for the title Baroness than for that of Sister Barbara; and still less to follow the phantom of pleasure through the mazes of fashion than to guide her “Stormy Petrel” through the wild waves of the pathless ocean!