you, sir," the officer said when the last question had been
answered; "we shall have much pleasure in certifying that you have
passed your examination in a most creditable manner."

Edgar looked a little bewildered.

"Sir Sidney Smith perhaps did not inform you, Mr. Blagrove, that, by
Lord Keith's orders, you were to be examined to-day, and that we have
sat as a board for that purpose?"

"No, indeed, sir, I had no thought of such a thing. I shall not have
served my time for nearly three years."

"I suppose Lord Keith had some special reason for having you examined
now. It was a good opportunity, you see. You will please remain on deck
for a few minutes while we draw out the certificate."

He was soon called in again and presented with a certificate, saying
that he had passed the examination most satisfactorily.

"You will now go to the admiral's cabin," the president said; "he
desires to speak to you."

Still greatly puzzled why he should be examined so long before his time,
Edgar sent in his name to the admiral, and was at once shown in. Sir
Sidney Smith was with him.

"I am very glad to hear from the examining board that you have passed
your examination with great credit, Mr. Blagrove," the admiral said.
"Sir Sidney Smith has spoken to me in very high terms of the services
you have rendered him, and the general commanding the troops has
requested that you should be told off to his staff, where your knowledge
of the country will be of great service to him. Under these very
exceptional circumstances I have taken the exceptional step of having
you examined at once, and as you have passed with flying colours I now
hand you your appointment as acting lieutenant. The appointment is, of
course, a temporary one, but when I explain to the Admiralty my reasons
for making it, and inclose the report of your services that Sir Sidney
Smith has handed to me, I have no doubt that the step will be confirmed.
I may say that one reason for my doing this at the present moment is
that as you will be on Sir Ralph Abercrombie's staff, I think that, as
the navy is to be represented, it should be represented by an officer
with at least the rank of lieutenant, so as to give him a proper status.
I congratulate you, Lieutenant Blagrove, on the promotion that you have,
in my opinion and in that of your immediate superior, most worthily
won."

Thereupon he shook Edgar warmly by the hand. Sir Sidney Smith did the
same, and with a smile