houses, gave
it a gay and cheerful appearance.

The convoy made its way through the streets to large barracks, now
converted into a hospital. When the sick had been taken into the
wards, the doctor proceeded with the midshipmen to the residence of
the governor.

The boys had laid aside the sheepskin cloaks which had proved so
invaluable during their journey, and as they walked through the
streets, in their midshipman's uniform, attracted a good deal of
attention.

They were at once shown in to the governor, an officer of some
five-and-thirty years old, with a fierce and disagreeable expression
of countenance. He was a member of a high Russian family; but as a
punishment for various breaches of discipline, arising from his
quarrelsome disposition and misconduct, he had been appointed governor
to this little town, instead of going with his regiment to the front.

Saluting him, the doctor delivered to him an order for the safe
guardianship of the two English officers.

"Ah," he said, as he perused the document, and glanced at the
midshipmen, "if these are British officers, I can scarcely understand
the trouble they are giving us. They are mere boys. I thought their
uniform was red. The soldiers who were brought here a month ago were
all in red."

"These are young naval officers," the doctor said. "I understand that
some of the sailors are serving on shore, and these were captured, I
am told, when out with a party of their men cutting fuel."

"A wonderful capture, truly," the governor said sneeringly. "Two boys
scarce out of the nursery."

"It cost us some men," the doctor said calmly, "for I hear from the
officer who brought them in that we lost altogether fifteen men, and
the sailors would all have got away had it not been that one of these
young officers was shot in the leg and the other stood by him, and
shot several men with his revolver before he was captured."

"A perfect St. George," the commandant sneered. "Well, sir, your duty
is done, and I will see to them. Are they on parole?"

"They gave me their parole not to try to escape during the journey,
and have expressed their willingness to renew it."

"It matters little one way or the other," the governor said. "Unless
they could fly, they could not make their way through the country.
There, sir, that will do."

The doctor bowed, shook hands with the boys, and without a word went
out, touching his lips with his fingers to them as he turned his back