et the appointment at once."

"That would be capital, father. I hope that Muller's account of the work
of the last three years has been satisfactory?"

"Perfectly so. We have done much better than I could have expected
under the circumstances; and indeed the profits of the last three years
have been nearly as large as those of the years before the French
landed."

Four days later the order arrived for the ship to pay off, and Edgar at
once posted up to town, for the number of officers wanting to go up was
so large that it was impossible to secure a place by a coach to London
for a week to come. The next day he called upon Sir Sidney Smith and
stated to him the plans he had formed.

"They could not get a better man for the place," the admiral said
warmly, for he had now been promoted to that rank. "If you will bring me
your formal application for the post of vice-consul at Alexandria, I
will myself take it to the proper quarter. Put your qualification as a
resident merchant and as a linguist as strongly as you like. I will urge
your naval record, and myself testify to your abilities as a linguist
and to the services which you have rendered."

A week later Edgar received his formal appointment as His Majesty's
vice-consul at the port of Alexandria, and was given a fortnight's leave
before starting to take up his work. Wilkinson, who had also been
ordered home and placed upon half-pay, stayed with Mr. Blagrove during
the time Edgar was at home, and was much more communicative as to the
work his comrade had done than the latter had himself been.

"I can tell you," he said, "that for a midshipman to be promoted after
only two years and a half service is an almost unknown thing in the
navy, and shows what was thought by Lord Keith and Sir Sidney of his
work."

Mr. Blagrove returned to Alexandria with his son, having before he
started freighted a ship with timber, principally oak, of the kinds and
sizes that would most frequently be in demand for the execution of
repairs, together with an apparatus for steaming and bending them. He
had already, directly after receiving Edgar's letter from Gibraltar,
sent out directions to Mr. Muller to take over the yard and premises of
the French firm. The old name had not been replaced at the entrance of
the offices, but now read Blagrove, Son, & Muller, while over the door
of the premises recently acquired was now placed the words, "British
Vice-consulate," and an office here was se