The Young Rajah | Page 3

side of Violet, while her father
sat on the other. Captain Hawkesford, on returning from his cabin,
found the place he had intended to occupy already filled, and with an

angry frown on his brow he went to the further end of the table. Most
of the passengers had collected, when some one remarked that the
chairs of Major and Mrs Molony were vacant.
"Why did they not come down?" asked Mrs Brigadier Bomanjoy.
"The little lady is in one of her tantrums," answered Miss Pelican. "The
gallant major is endeavouring to bring her round, but she won't because
she won't."
Just then the voice of the little lady was heard, mingled with the
expostulations of her liege lord, coming down the open skylight, on the
coamings of which she was seated, directly over the head of the table.
"Come, ladies and gentlemen, we must commence operations or the
meat will get cold," observed the captain; and having said grace, he was
about to begin carving a leg of mutton swimming in gravy placed
before him, when there came a wild scream and a shout from the
major,--"Arrah, my darling, where are you after going to?" though,
before the words were well out of the speaker's mouth, down came flop
on the top of the leg of mutton the rotund form of Mrs Major Molony,
fortunately head uppermost, in a semi-sitting posture,--the joint of meat
serving as a cushion to that part of her body which is usually thus
accommodated, while one of her feet stuck into a dish of potatoes and
the other into one of curry and rice, the gravy flying on all sides like the
contents of a bursting bomb.
"Oh, where have I got to?" cried the little lady, panting and screaming
with terror, though she was sufficiently aware of what had happened to
make an endeavour to cover up her little round legs, which were more
exposed than her modesty would have allowed.
Captain Lyford, with all the delicacy imaginable, though his sides were
splitting with laughter, placed his arms under the little lady, and lifted
her up ready to present to the major, who came rushing down wild with
alarm, under the belief that she must have either broken her neck, or
have been spitted on the carving knife and fork.

"Arrah now, my darling, is it killed you are entirely?" he exclaimed, as
he caught sight of her.
The shouts of laughter proceeding from all sides, and in which even
Violet and Reginald could not help joining, prevented her answer from
being heard, as the major, taking her in his arms, bore her off to her
cabin, that she might put a fresh skirt on in lieu of her
gravy-bespattered dress.
The steward had in the meantime picked up the leg of mutton, which
had been sent spinning out of the dish; and its tenderness was
accounted for by the unusual pressure to which it had been subjected by
the fair little dame.
It appeared, from the conversation of the major, who soon returned to
the table, that at the moment his wife was kicking at him pettishly with
her foot the ship gave a roll, and she, losing her balance, the
catastrophe lately witnessed had occurred; a lesson, as he observed with
a wink, by which he piously hoped she would in future profit.
"I congratulate you, my dear, that it did not happen to you," observed
the brigadier to his better half.
"I never kick at my husband," answered the lady.
For the sake of the feelings of Mrs Molony the conversation was
changed, when she at length appeared, considerably crestfallen, and
took her seat meekly by her husband's side. Dinner was proceeded with;
but every now and then some of the young ensigns burst out into
uncontrollable fits of laughter, joined in by the rest like the fire of
skirmishers, as one of them happened to recall the incident to mind,--
the only one hitherto worth noting during the voyage, which promised
to terminate without the occurrence of any of greater importance.
Some days had passed after this event, when, as the ship was still
running before the wind, making eight or nine knots an hour, with a
somewhat heavy sea on, a fine young lad--going out to join his father
and mother, who had obtained some employment for him in the

uncovenanted service--was skylarking aloft with some other youngsters,
when, losing his hold, he fell into the foaming sea.
"Man overboard!" was the cry.
Captain Lyford was on deck in a moment, issuing orders to shorten sail
and bring the ship to, that a boat might be lowered. The lad could swim,
but suddenly finding himself plunged amid the foaming seas, he lost his
presence of mind, and it appeared doubtful whether