side, and cocking his eye
knowingly at the old salt; "a fellow just needs to have a good memory.
I say, Dick, that lime juice and water was precious strong that day,
wasn't it?"

"No, sir, not a bit," said the old sailor, stolidly. "But now I come to
recollect, the sun did make me awful giddy."

"All right, Dick," said the midshipman; "run the boat a little more
under the shade of those trees, and we'll keep you out of the sun
to-day."

Old Dick growled, and picked up the boat-hook to draw the gig further
along, to where there was a dense cool shade. Then as he laid the
boat-hook down, and retook his place, he began to chuckle.

"You're a sharp 'un, Mr Roberts, that you are," he said, laughing.
"Well, I'll own it; that was a bit of a slip that day. Send one o' the
tothers ashore then, with your message."

"No, I'll be blessed if I do," said Bob. "I'll never give way an inch
again about a boat's crew; I haven't forgotten that little game at Aden,
where I sent one chap ashore to get me some cold water to drink, and he
didn't come back; and another volunteered to go and fetch him, and I let
him go, and he didn't come back; and then I had to send another, and
another--eight of 'em, every one vowing he'd bring the rest back; and at
last I sat alone in that boat without a crew, and the first lieutenant
came, and a nice wigging I had. No, Master Dick, I've been at sea too
long now to be tricked by those games, and I mean to have the strictest
discipline whenever I'm in command."

The men in the forepart of the boat overheard all this, and began to
look very gloomy.

"Couldn't you let one on us go and get a bucket o' water, sir? it's
precious hot," said the man who pulled bow oar, and he touched his
forelock.

"No, Mr Joe Cripps, I couldn't," said Bob, sharply; "but I tell you
what you all may do; put your heads over the side, and drink as much of
this clear river-water as you like. We're not at sea, man."

"More we aren't, sir," said the man, glancing round at his companions,
who laughed.

"Look here," said Bob, "Dick will keep an eye on the shore, and I'll
tell the sentry there to pass the word. You may all smoke if you like,
only look smart, and put away your pipes if the captain's coming."

"Thanky, sir," chorussed the men, and pipes were quickly produced by all
save Dick, who helped himself to a fresh quid.

"I say, sentry," cried Bob, "pass the word on there--I want to see Mr
Long."

"Yes, sir,"