Madame Volney, her daughters, and Mabel became inspired with fresh hope, when almost on the brink of despair. Having repaired the rigging, a boat’s crew put an anchor in a position that would enable them to set sail, when warped up to it. With his glass, Captain O’Loughlin could discern a body of men coming along the heights: these he supposed to be soldiers from Palais; but the Babet was soon warped to her berth, and, aided by the shift of wind, she ran safely out under double-reefed topsails, and then tacking, stood out to sea on the same board as the Iris frigate;[4] and three days afterwards, to the intense joy of our hero, and also of all on board the Babet, she ran into Plymouth alongside the Bon-Citoyen schooner. CHAPTER XII. Sir Godfrey Etherton, eight or ten days after the arrival of the Babet in Plymouth, received a letter from Mr. Joseph Stanmore, solicitor. The Baronet was in his study when the letter arrived; he opened it with some surprise and curiosity, for he did not know the writing, and perused the following lines:— “London, —— Square, “January 21st, 1794. “Sir,— “I beg to acquaint you with the arrival in London of your niece, Miss Mabel Arden, who is at present residing with a French lady, the widow of Admiral Volney, a fugitive or emigrant from her native country, and who has kindly taken charge of Miss Arden, for a short period. I have also to state that a young gentleman, an officer in the naval service, has placed in my hands a sealed casket, which he received from Miss Arden’s mother, the Duchesse de Coulancourt, with an injunction for it to be opened in his presence and that of Miss Arden’s nearest relative, which I understand you are. Any further particulars I will defer till I have the pleasure of seeing you, which I hope will be as soon as may be convenient. “I have the honour to be, “Yours most obediently, “JOSEPH STANMORE.” Sir Godfrey Etherton read this letter twice, and looked very serious, as he muttered half aloud— “So she is come at last.” He remained thoughtful some time; then, rising, he proceeded to the drawing-room, where Lady Etherton and two of her youngest daughters were sitting near a blazing fire. “I have just received intelligence,” commenced the Baronet, “that Miss Arden has arrived in London.” “Oh, indeed!” returned Lady Etherton, whilst the two girls, both very plain, but very fashionably dressed in the ugly style of the period, looked up from their fancy work. “I wonder what she is like?” said Miss Jane to her sister Barbara. “Howard said she was such a puny thing, that she would hardly live to reach England.”