Returning on board the Victory, Thornton’s comrades gathered around him, fully determined to hear his adventures in full.
“What a racket they all make,” observed Master Etherton, with a sneer, “about a brat of a girl, because she calls herself the daughter of a duchess—a French duchess. There are no titles in France now—an adventuress, most likely.”
“You are very likely to make a very great mistake, Howard Etherton,” remarked our hero, quietly; “this child is an English girl, and, I am told, bears the same name as your father did before he took that of Etherton.”
“What’s that you say, Master Thornton?” exclaimed young Etherton, with a start, and changing colour. “My father’s name was Arden—as good a name as any in England; but we knew of no other branch of our family bearing that name.”
“You are in error, nevertheless, Master Etherton,” returned our hero, “for this young lady’s mother, the Duchesse de Coulancourt, had previously been married to a Mr. Granby Arden; the Admiral knew him intimately, and this little girl we are talking about is his child, Mabel Arden.”
“A confounded impostor!” passionately exclaimed young Etherton, with a very pale cheek, and with a vehemence that quite amazed his comrades. “Mr. Granby Arden was my father’s brother. He was never married, and died abroad; so that, as I said before, this duchess is an impostor, and her daughter a nameless brat, thrust upon you, seeing what a soft head you possessed,” and he laughed mockingly as he said the words.
“I have a great mind to try,” said William Thornton, angrily, “whether your head possesses the same qualification that I know your heart does; and if you use such language again in my hearing I will do so, let the consequences be what they may. I have done it once before, but if I have to repeat the lesson you will remember it.”
“Be the powers of war! what’s all this squabbling amongst you unruly youngsters?” exclaimed Lieutenant O’Loughlin, who, unobserved, had heard the whole dialogue, and who knew very well that if our hero promised a fellow mid a thrashing, he would faithfully stick to his word. Now the Admiral was extremely strict with his midshipmen, and always severely punished both parties who infringed the rules. Fighting was on no account allowed.
“Well, Mr. O’Loughlin,” said William Thornton, “what would you have me do? Here is a young lady, protected by the Admiral, who was an intimate friend of her father’s, and Master Etherton takes it into his head to call her mother an impostor, and herself a nameless brat.”
“Oh, by the Immortals! he’ll put his foot in it in earnest,” said the Lieutenant; and, turning to the cowed Howard Etherton, he added, “Faith, my lad, you must have more pluck than I ever gave you credit for, thus to give the lie to his lordship.”