urser are to go with us to the brig, and see
what is required in the way of stores. Everything has to be got on board
by to-night, as Sir Sidney sails early to-morrow morning, so there is no
time to be wasted."

While he was talking the two midshipmen were throwing their spare
clothes into the kit-bags, in which they had brought them ashore. One of
the sailors slung them across his shoulder and followed them down to the
landing-place. The bags were stowed under the thwarts forward, and the
lads waited until their commander came down.

"Remember, Mr. Wilkinson," the latter said as he took his seat in the
boat, "you and Mr. Blagrove must be here at seven o'clock this evening,
for I am landing at that hour to pay a final adieu to the pasha, and he
asked me to bring you both with me. I mention it now, as it might slip
my memory. The men you had on shore all gave you satisfaction, didn't
they?"

"Yes, sir, they were all willing and ready for work at any hour, day or
night."

"Then you may as well have them as a body. Some twenty of them have been
killed, wounded, or laid up by fever, but with the men now on board they
will make the crew up to its full strength."

The gig was now on her way, and the shore party of sailors and marines
were gathering round the cutter that had been sent to take them on
board. Before leaving the quarters that they had occupied, the
midshipmen had made hasty arrangements with the two Turks, who had
gladly accepted their offer. They had been told that one or other of the
midshipmen would be sure to be on shore some time during the day.
Therefore they were to hold themselves in readiness to embark at once.
On arriving on board, the lieutenant was requested by Sir Sidney to tell
off five marines to form part of the complement of the gun-boat. Ten
minutes after their arrival the two midshipmen started with two petty
officers to inspect the stores of the gun-boat.

"She is a very pretty craft, Blagrove!" Wilkinson said with delight as
he regarded with pride his new command.

"Yes. I doubt whether we should have ever taken her if she had not been
so deep in the water with the guns and stores she had on board. The
French certainly know how to build ships; there is no question about
that. I doubt whether we have such a good-looking gun-boat in the
service. Anyhow I have not seen one."

The petty officer who commanded the gun-boat saluted as Wilkinson came
up to the side and announced that he had