speedily changed their places to the opposite side of the boat, while I remained holding off fast by the gunwale, till the sea rushing over, what was now becoming the lee-side, carried me head over heels into the shingle ballast in the waist.  Lord, how they did laugh!  Agnes, too, who never before could get beyond a very faint smile, grew almost hysterical at my performance.  As for me, I only wanted this to complete my long threatened misfortune; sea sickness in all its most miserable forms, set in upon me, and, ere half an hour, I lay upon that heap of small stones, as indifferent to all round and about me as though I were dead.  Oh, the long, dreary hours of that melancholy day; it seemed like a year.  They tacked and tacked, they were beat and tacked again, the sea washing over me, and the ruffianly sailors trampling upon me without the slightest remorse, whenever they had any occasion to pass back or forward.  From my long trance of suffering I was partly roused by the steward shaking my shoulder, saying,

“’The gentlemen wish to know, sir, if you’d like summat to eat, as they’re a goin’ to have a morsel; we are getting into slack water now.’

“‘Where are we?’ I replied, in a sepulchral voice.

“’Off the Hook, sir; we have had a most splendid run, but I fear we’ll catch it soon; there’s some dirty weather to the westward.’

“‘God grant it,’ said I, piously and in a low tone.

“‘Did you say you’d have a bit to eat.  Sir?’

“’No!—­eat!—­am I a cannibal?—­eat—­go away—­mark me, my good fellow, I’ll pay you your wages, if ever we get ashore; you’ll never set another foot aboard with me.’

“The man looked perfectly astounded as he moved away, and my thoughts were soon engrossed by the proceedings near me.  The rattle of knives, and the jingling of plates and glasses went on very briskly for some time, accompanied by various pleasant observations of my guests, for such I judged them, from the mirth which ever followed them.  At last I thought I heard my name, or at least what they pleased to use as its substitute, mentioned; I strained my ears to listen, and learnt that they were planning to talk over the pretended intention to run for Cowes, and see the regatta.  This they discussed then, for about twenty minutes, in a very loud voice, purposely to see its effects upon me; but as I was now aware of the trick, I gave no sign of any intelligence.

“‘Poor Dirk,’ said Grantham; ’I believe by this time he cares very little which way her head lies; but here comes something better than all our discussions.  Lady Agnes, sit here—­Miss Pelham, here’s a dry cushion for you—­did you say a wing, Lady Mary?’

“Now began the crash and clatter of dinner; champagne corks popping, glasses ringing, and all that peculiar admixture of fracas and fun, which accompanies a scrambled meal.  How they did laugh, and eat, ay, and drink too.  G’s punch seemed to have its success, for sick as I was, I could perceive the voices of the men grow gradually louder, and discovered that two gentlemen who had been remarkably timid in the morning, and scarcely opened their lips, were now rather uproariously given, and one even proposed to sing.