“Shipmates and friends, the man coming ashore is the son of a man whom I loved.  I have sent my carriage down to bring him to my house where he is to be my guest.  You have all heard me tell how his father saved my life.  Would you injure him now, when he comes to pay me a friendly visit?” In a short time the crowd dispersed, and Lieutenant Matson landed, entered the carriage and was driven to the house of Captain Lane.

From the street, Fernando, with bitter feelings in his heart, saw the carriage ascend the hill.  He turned about and entered the tavern, went to his room and shut himself up.  Here he remained until the middle of the afternoon, when there came a knock at the door, and, on opening it, he was astonished to find one of the negroes of Captain Lane’s house.  He was dressed in livery and held a note in his hand, which he gave to “Mistah Stevens,” bowed politely and awaited his answer.

The utter amazement of Fernando can better be imagined than described at finding the note from Miss Morgianna Lane inviting himself and his friends to tea that evening with themselves, Lieutenant Matson and ensign Post of his majesty’s ship Xenophon.  Had Fernando been summoned to a command in his majesty’s navy, he could not have been more astonished.  He hesitated a moment and then decided to accept.  This Englishman should neither out-do him in generosity nor affrontery.  Besides, the invitation came from Morgianna, and he could not refuse.  He wrote a polite answer, accepting the kind invitation and went to find Sukey and Terrence.  Sukey thought it would be a little odd for Fernando to meet a man with whom he had exchanged shots; but Terrence declared it was the only “dacint” thing to do.  They were not “haythin,” to bear grudges.

Consequently they went.  The minds of the Americans were filled with doubt and perplexity, while the Irishman was chuckling at a plan his cunning brain was evolving, and which he determined to put in execution.  The Englishmen met the Americans very cordially, and Lieutenant Matson, who was every inch a gentleman, did not dare be other than genteel in the presence of the lady he loved; for he was as passionately in love with Morgianna as was Fernando.  The lieutenant was of a romantic turn of mind, and the mystery of the sea waif had interested him.  He was quite sure she was the daughter of some nobleman.  He had read in romances so many cases similar to hers, that he could not believe this would turn out otherwise.

When Fernando and the lieutenant had shaken hands and mutually agreed to bury all past differences, had they not been rivals they might have become friends, for each recognized in the other some qualities that were admirable.

The beauty of a lovely woman is like music, rich in cadence and sweet in rhythm; but that beauty must be for one alone.  It cannot, like music, be shared with others.  The best of friends may, as rivals, become the bitterest foes.  Fernando did not like the Englishman, for, with all his blandness, he thought he could observe a pompous air and self-consciousness of superiority, disgusting to sensible persons.  This might have been prejudice or the result of imagination, yet he realized that he was in the presence of an ambitious rival, who would go to any length to gain his purpose.