abandoned his pipe during the heat of the action, dropped it short from between his lips, and stood aghast before the chair window, rolling his hat in his hands, speechless and spell-bound with amazement.
The Marquise recognised him at once.
"It is Smoke-Jack! and welcome!" she exclaimed. "I should know you amongst a thousand! Indeed, I scarcely wanted your assistance more the night you saved us at Cash-a-crou. Ah! I have not forgotten the men of 'The Bashful Maid,' nor how to speak to them. Come, bear a hand, my hearty! Is it not so?"
The little nautical slang spoken in her broken English, acted like a charm. Not a man but would have fought for her to the death, or drank her health till all was blue!
They cheered lustily now, they crowded round in enthusiastic admiration, and the youngest of the party, with a forethought beyond all praise, rushed back to the tavern he had quitted, for a jorum of hot punch, in case the lady should feel faint after her accident.
Smoke-Jack's stoicism was for once put to flight.
"Say the word, marm!" exclaimed the old seaman, "and we'll pull the street down. Who began it?" he added, looking round and doubling his great round fists. "Who began it?—that's all I want to know. Ain't nobody to be started for this here game? Ain't nobody to get his allowance? I'll give it him, hot and hot!"
With difficulty Smoke-Jack was persuaded that no benefit would accrue to the Marquise from his doing immediate battle with the bystanders, consisting by this time of a few women and street-urchins, for most of the able-bodied rioters had slunk away before the threatening faces of the seamen. He had to content himself, therefore, with administering sundry kicks and cuffs to the chairmen, both of whom were too drunk to proceed, and with carrying the Marquise home, in person, assisted by a certain elderly boatswain's mate, on whom he seemed to place some reliance, while the rest of the sailors sought their favourite resort once more, to drink success and a pleasant voyage to the lady, in the money with which she had liberally rewarded them.
"It is droll!" thought Madame de Montmirail, as she
