The weather was certainly much heavier than it had been in the morning, and the Duke feared they would have a longer passage than they had expected, but added that they would be better able to judge to-morrow at twelve.

Claudius and Margaret exchanged a few sentences, with tolerable tact and indifference; but, for some occult reason, Mr.
Barker undertook to be especially lively and amusing, and after the dinner was somewhat advanced he launched out into a series of stories and anecdotes which served very well to pass the time and to attract notice to himself.

As Mr.Barker was generally not very talkative at table, though frequently epigrammatic, his sudden eloquence was calculated to engage the attention of the party.

Claudius and Margaret were glad of the rattling talk that delivered them from the burden of saying anything especial, and they both laughed quite naturally at Barker's odd wit.

They were grateful to him for what he did, and Claudius entertained some faint hope that he might go on in the same strain for the rest of the voyage.