and that our marriage was only to be deferred until I should have attained the rank of captain, provided always that the parties were agreed.
"I thought," said my father, "that you were rather smitten in that quarter?"
"Me smitten, Sir?" said I, with a look of astonishment. "I have, it is true, a very high respect for Miss Somerville; but as for being in love with her, I trust no little attentions on my part have been so construed. I have paid her no more attention than I may have done to any pretty girl I meet with." (This was, indeed, true, too true.)
"Well, well," said my father, " it is a mistake on my part."
And here the conversation on that subject was dropped.
It appeared that after the little arrangement between Mr. Somerville and my father, and when I had gone to jom my ship in America, they had had some communication together, in which Mr. Somerville disclosed, that having
