After two hours' conversation, it grew dark, and Vanslyperken departed,
revolving in his mind, as he walked away, the sublime principles of
religion and piety, in the excellent advice given by his aged mother. "I
wish I could only think as she does," muttered Vanslyperken at last; and
as he concluded this devout wish, his arm was touched by a
neatly-dressed little girl, who curtsied, and asked if he was not
Lieutenant Vanslyperken, belonging to the cutter. Vanslyperken replied
in the affirmative, and the little girl then said that a lady, her
mistress, wished to speak to him.

"Your mistress, my little girl?" said Vanslyperken, suspiciously; "and
pray who is your mistress?"

"She is a lady, sir," replied the latter; "she was married to Major
Williams, but he is dead."

"Hah! a widow; well, what does she want? I don't know her."

"No, sir, and she don't know you; but she told me if you did not come at
once, to give you this paper to read."

Vanslyperken took the paper, and walking to the window of a shop in
which there was a light, contrived to decipher as follows:--

"SIR,

"The lady who lived in Castle Street has sent me a letter,
and a parcel, to deliver up into your own hands, as the
parcel is of value. The bearer of this will bring you to
my house.