the
idlers."

The midshipman was gone two or three minutes, when he returned with the
purser and the chaplain.

"The first lieutenant is in the forehold, sir; all the marines have got
their dead-lights still in, and the master is working-up his log, the
gun-room steward says. I hope these will do, sir; they are the greatest
idlers in the ship, I believe."

Lord Geoffrey Cleveland was the second son of the third duke in the
English empire, and he knew it, as well as any one on board. Admiral
Bluewater had no slavish respect for rank; nevertheless, like all men
educated under an aristocratic system, he was influenced by the feeling
to a degree of which he himself was far from being conscious. This young
scion of nobility was not in the least favoured in matters of duty, for
this his own high spirit would have resented; but he dined in the cabin
twice as often as any other midshipman on board, and had obtained for
himself a sort of license for the tongue, that emboldened him to utter
what passed for smart things in the cock-pit and gun-room, and which,
out of all doubt, were pert things everywhere. Neither the chaplain nor
the purser took offence at his liberties on the present occasion; and,
as for the rear-admiral, he had not attended to what had been uttered.
As soon, however, as he found others in his cabin, he motioned to them
to approach his desk, and pointed to the paper, folded down, as
mentioned.

"Every prudent man," he said, "and, especially every prudent sailor and
soldier, in a time of war, ought to be provided with a will. This is
mine, just drawn up, by myself; and that instrument is an old one, which
I now destroy in your presence. I acknowledge this to be my hand and
seal," writing his name, and touching the seal with a finger as he
spoke; "affixed to this my last will and testament. Will you have the
kindness to act as witnesses?"

When the chaplain and purser had affixed their names, there still
remained a space for a third signature. This, by a sign from his
superior, the laughing midshipman filled with his own signature.

"I hope you've recollected, sir," cried the boy, with glee, as he took
his seat to obey; "that the Bluewaters and Clevelands are related. I
shall be grievously disappointed, when this will is proved, if my name
be not found somewhere in it!"

"So shall I, too, my lord," drily returned Bluewater; "for, I fully
expect it will appear as a witness; a character that is at once fat