pass his ship without learning something new. Lord
Morganic's vessel is a good school for us old fellows to attend--hey!
Greenly?"

"The Achilles is certainly a model vessel in some respects, Sir
Gervaise, though I flatter myself the Plantagenets have no great
occasion to imitate her, in order to gain a character."

"_You_ imitate Morganic in order to know how to keep a ship in
order!--Poh! let Morganic come to school to _you_. Yet the fellow is not
bashful in battle neither; keeps his station well, and makes himself
both heard and felt. Ah! there he is, flourishing his hat on the poop,
and wondering what the deuce Sir Jarvy's after, now! Sheer in,
Wychecombe, and let us hear what he has to say."

"Good evening, Sir Gervaise," called out the earl, as usual taking the
_initiative_ in the discourse; "I was in hopes when I saw your flag in
the boat, that you were going to do me the favour to open a bottle of
claret, and to taste some fruit, I have still standing on the table."

"I thank you, my lord, but business before pleasure. We have not been
idle to-day, though to-morrow shall be still more busy. How does the
Achilles steer; now her foremast is in its place?"

"Yaws like a fellow with his grog aboard, Sir Gervaise, on my honour! We
shall never do any thing with her, until you consent to let us stay her
spars, in our own fashion. Do you intend to send me Daly back, or am I
to play first lieutenant myself, admiral?"

"Daly's shipped for the cruise, and you must do as well as you can
without him. If you find yourself without a second astern, in the course
of the night, do not fancy she has gone to the bottom. Keep good
look-outs, and pay attention to signals."

As Sir Gervaise waved his hand, the young noble did not venture to
reply, much less to ask a question, though there was not a little
speculation on the poop of the Achilles, concerning the meaning of his
words. The boat moved on, and five minutes later Sir Gervaise was on the
quarter-deck of the Carnatic.

Parker received the commander-in-chief, hat in hand, with a solicitude
and anxiety that were constitutional, perhaps, and which no
consciousness of deserving could entirely appease. Habit, however, had
its share in it, since, accustomed to defer to rank from boyhood, and
the architect of his own "little fortune," he had ever attached more
importance to the commendation of his superior, than was usual with
those who had other props to lean on than their