he Baltic, we put into
Kiel again, and the men wanted to draw advances to have a spree ashore,
but the admiral told the purser to refuse them, and when they grumbled
about it he gave them a `dressing-down' from the poop, having them all
piped aft by the bosun for the purpose. `Lads,' says he, `I'll let you
have ten shillings apiece, but not a farthing more to spend, now! I
want you to save all your prize-money for your wives and sweethearts
when you return to England, for I don't wish to have my eyes scratched
out on Common Hard when I come out of the dockyard on landing, as I
should, if I were fool enough to allow you to spend all your money out
here instead of making you keep it, as I intend, till you get home!' He
was a rare good old sort was the admiral, young Vernon!"

"So I should think," I replied, "from all I have heard."

But there our chat ended, the Cape people just beginning to come off to
"cut their capers," as Master Larkyns remarked to me, making me a target
as usual for one of his fearful puns.

Our dance was as great a success, I think, as the garrison ball, judging
by the approving comments of our guests, who kept it up till the middle
watch had well-nigh come to a close.

Mr Jellaby, I noticed, inconstant fellow that he was, payed attentions
of the most marked character on this occasion, all the time the
festivities lasted to a Cape damsel of the most slender figure,
contrasting strongly with the stout lady who was his former flame and
who had come off especially, so the wardroom officers said in their
chaff, to renew her attack on the heart of the lieutenant.

Mr Jellaby, proved a recreant knight and the Dutch lady had to content
herself with the cavalier-ship of the youngest and most diminutive cadet
on board, my chum, little Tommy Mills!

But Tommy's gallant championship of the deserted fair one and the
lieutenant's fresh flirtation had to terminate, like everything else in
this world; and hardly had the last of our visitors quitted the ship
than the hands were turned up to weigh anchor, the old _Candahar_
sailing soon after daybreak and shaping a course southwards to pick up
the westerly trade winds of the "Roaring Forties."

With studding sails, upper and lower, on each side, we bowled along
gaily, the wind right astern all the way some two thousand miles odd or
so, until we fetched the meridian of the Island of Saint Paul in the
middle of the great southern ocean; when, we hauled up to