stopped Edgar's disjointed words of thanks and
pointed to the door. Some of the middies of the flagship nudged each
other and smiled at his pale face as he walked to the gangway.

"He has been getting a wigging and no mistake," one said to another. "He
looked all right when he went in, for I noticed him as he came on deck;
but he has evidently got into some awful scrape, and will be
court-martialled and sent home, I should say, or his captain would have
kept the affair in his own hands instead of bringing him up before the
admiral."

"Anything the matter, Mr. Blagrove?" Mr. Knight, who was still second
lieutenant on the _Tigre_, asked him, as he came on board. "'Tis not
often that a midshipman is signalled for by an admiral's flagship, and
you are looking rather shaky."

"No, sir, there is nothing wrong, but I do feel a little queer. When I
got there I was taken down to the wardroom, where three captains were
sitting. They asked me a number of questions about the port of
Alexandria, the depth of water, the batteries, and so on. Of course I
knew about that from going so often on board ship in the harbour and
from sailing in and out. Then, to my surprise, they asked me what I
should do if the ship I was in command of was caught in a sudden squall.
As we had been caught in a white squall in the islands, of course I was
able to answer. They asked me some other questions as to navigation,
and I could not for the life of me make out what they were doing, and
was thunderstruck when they told me that they were a board, and that I
had passed my examination with great credit. When they gave me the
certificate I was taken to the admiral's cabin;" and he then repeated
the substance of what the admiral had said.

"I congratulate you, Blagrove. You are a lucky young dog; but I don't
think that luck is the proper word, for you owe it entirely, first to
your knowledge of languages, then to your own behaviour and pluck. It is
rare indeed, I can tell you, that a midshipman of two years' standing is
passed and promoted. I have no doubt that, as the admiral said, your
going on Abercrombie's staff had a good deal to do with it, because, for
the credit of the navy, one would not like to be represented by a
midshipman on such service. Well, you must borrow an epaulette;" for at
that time a naval officer did not mount two epaulettes until he had
obtained the rank of commander.

At first Edgar's story was altogether disbelieved in the cock