y the
glance of the other's eye, that a question was indirectly put to
himself; "it is the southern squadron; and the vice-admiral's flag you
see, belongs to Sir Gervaise Oakes. Admiral Bluewater is on board the
ship that carries a flag at the mizzen."

"Those two officers always go together, Sir Wycherly," added the young
man. "Whenever we hear the name of Sir Gervaise, that of Bluewater is
certain to accompany it. Such a union in service is delightful to
witness."

"Well may they go in company, Mr. Wychecombe," returned the stranger,
betraying a little emotion. "Oakes and Bluewater were reefers together,
under old Breasthook, in the Mermaid; and when the first was made a
lieutenant into the Squid, the last followed as a mate. Oakes was first
of the Briton, in her action with the Spanish frigates, and Bluewater
third. For that affair Oakes got a sloop, and his friend went with him
as his first. The next year they had the luck to capture a heavier ship
than their own, when, for the first time in their service, the two young
men were separated; Oakes getting a frigate, and Bluewater getting the
Squid. Still they cruised in company, until the senior was sent in
command of a flying squadron, with a broad pennant, when the junior, who
by this time was post, received his old messmate on board his own
frigate. In that manner they served together, down to the hour when the
first hoisted his flag. From that time, the two old seamen have never
been parted; Bluewater acting as the admiral's captain, until he got the
square bunting himself. The vice-admiral has never led the van of a
fleet, that the rear-admiral did not lead the rear-division; and, now
that Sir Gervaise is a commander-in-chief, you see his friend, Dick
Bluewater, is cruising in his company."

While the stranger was giving this account of the Two Admirals, in a
half-serious, half-jocular manner, the eyes of his companions were on
him. He was a middle-sized, red-faced man, with an aquiline nose, a
light-blue animated eye, and a mouth, which denoted more of the habits
and care of refinement than either his dress or his ordinary careless
mien. A great deal is said about the aristocracy of the ears, and the
hands, and the feet; but of all the features, or other appliances of the
human frame, the mouth and the nose have the greatest influence in
producing an impression of gentility. This was peculiarly the case with
the stranger, whose beak, like that of an ancient g