ried the Irishman,
triumphantly. "Hullo, here's Peters, the cap'en's stooard dodgin' about
the gangway. I wondther what he's afther?"

I walked out of the cabin as he spoke, and the man he referred to came
up to me at once.

"Beg pardon, sir," said he, civilly, touching his forelock in salute.
"Mr Vernon, sir, I believe?"

"Yes," I replied, rather anxious to learn what was wanted of me, "that
is my name."

"Cap'en Farmer presents his compliments, sir, and requests the pleasure
of your company to dinner this evening."

"Give my compliments to the captain, and say that I shall be most happy
to accept his kind invitation," I answered, putting on my most dignified
manner, as if it was quite an everyday occurrence for me to be asked to
dinner by officers of the highest rank; though, I felt inclined to jump
with joy at the prospect, especially under the circumstances of my
famished condition. "What time do you serve up dinner, steward?"

"We allers dines at Four Bells, sir," said he, with equal dignity,
conscious of his position apparently as captain's steward, and at the
same time not oblivious of the fact that I was only a naval cadet. "In
ten minutes time, sir, dinner will be on the table."

"All right, my man, I'll be there," I replied in an off-hand way, as he
went on towards the wardroom, opposite to where we were standing; and I
added aside to the corporal, "I don't think there's any fear of my being
late!"

"Faith, the divil doubt ye, sor," said Macan in reply to this, breaking
into a broad grin as he set to work methodically to put the doctor's
cabin straight again, while I turned to go below to my proper quarters,
with the intention of making myself smart for the forthcoming feast.
"Musha, I wudn't loike to be the dish foreninst ye, sor, if ye can ate a
hoss, as ye s'id jist now!"

A few minutes later, attired in my best uniform, I was ushered by the
marine sentry, who stood without the doorway, into the big after-cabin
beneath the poop that served for Captain Farmer's reception-room.

This was a handsome apartment, hung round with pictures and decorated
with choice hothouse flowers and evergreens, as unlike as possible
anything one might expect to find on board ship.

The very gun-carriages on either side were concealed by drapery, as well
as the windows at the further end which opened on to the stern gallery,
that projected, like a balcony, over the shimmering sea beneath, whereon
the lights from