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But Hauest, and did not notice if Deh four reed to make a toast; and his own conversation wasthe rest of the company Four years as the chief British representative at the Chinese court had brought hiht and settled his former driven confidence into assurance, but he was as pell- upon a subject close to his heart

"By report, they have shipped two transports already, which re down biscuit cru out the weevils "The Tswana have evidently encamped within the ruins of the city"

"They cannot be much fonder of Bonaparte than of us," Granby said "He hasn’t outlawed slavery, either; are they really his allies?"

"I suppose one cannot call it an alliance, not in the real sense of the word," Haiven hie for reparations: but as his reparations involve shipping them across the sea to attack their enemies, which are also his, there is very little to choose between the two They have not ceased their attacks upon the Spanish coast and the Portuguese, either," he added with a significant look at Laurence: such attacks should certainly pose a danger to any troops which Britain should land, as well

"I don’t suppose wemore to think about at the Cape?" Granby said "Or closer to their ho way from the south of Africa, and I don’t suppose they can have an easy time of supply"

"The prospects of a new front in wholly unknown territory, for uncertain gain, can have but little appeal," Laurence said "We knew nothing of the existence of the Tswana and their empire, and the present evils of our situation are in no sht we to be about venturing yet again past the coast of that continent, e have already certain proofs of their ability to reat a distance"

He spoke absently, listening: above their heads, a change in the rhythradually upon his awareness There was no alar the table, and had perforce to restrain his curiosity until the meal had been cleared ahen he could propose coffee on the dragondeck

Laurence put his head out of the ladderway and saw the sky: curiosity was at once satisfied Riley had been due to dine with the gunroo the ress; the sails were all being reefed "We are in for a blow, I think; nothing to alarm anyone, of course," he said out loud, cheerfully, before he added to Laurence in an undertone, "The lass, if it could; the dragons had better be chained down sooner than late"

Laurence nodded silent acknowledgment and went to tell Temeraire he must endure the storht beforehand, if you should like," he added by way of apology, when Temeraire had flattened down his ruff in protest

"I do not see why it , e are at sea," Teone aloft and seen in the distance the great billowings of red-violet and purple cli the sky; the ocean had flattened to black

He landed reluctantly prepared to submit; and then Iskierka said, "Well, I do not mean to be chained at all: whyever should I not just hold on to the ship, or if it is very bad, we may as well stay aloft," and Laurence realized in disale, which should outstrip the endurance of any dragon even if the winds alone did not prove fatal

"I suppose it is likely to blow too long," Granby said, looking inquiry up at Laurence, who slid from Temeraire’s back and hastened to assure hie Even so the sailors standing ready with the great tarpaulins and the stor ill-fortune, which grew still ue with Iskierka, at a volume which could not help but carry across the ship

Apart froeneral deprecation of superstition, Laurence could not think that the stor ahead of thehly bad as could be iined Certainly the worse consequence would co Iskierka unconvinced and unprepared to endure the length of the confineued the matter with Granby for the better part of an hour, while the shadow crept steadily nearer and Riley began to look anxious for the ons still unsecured At last in desperation Granby said, "Dear one, we must have done: I ear the coat if only you will do this for me; pray lie down and let theold crusted with gemstone beads which would not have looked out of place in the last century at Versailles; Iskierka had h Mr Richers, Granby’s new first lieutenant--subsequently much chastened by his captain--and Granby’s flat refusal to be displayed in sodissatisfaction to her

She pounced at once on the offer "Whenever I wish it?" she de for the occasion," Granby said, hurriedly qualifying