re to look after you," I answered.

The fact was, I wanted Dicky's company when I could go on shore myself,
which the surgeon told me I might do in a few days; and when asking for
myself, I intended putting in a word with Mr Du Pre in his favour.
When I crawled on deck I found the ship had taken up her moorings in
Dockyard Creek, a branch of the Grand Harbour, from which it runs at
right angles, on the opposite side to Valetta. Most deservedly is the
Grand Harbour so called, for in beauty, size, and security it is
unsurpassed; and it is singular that it should exist in an island of
dimensions so limited. Malta has an individuality of its own. It is
like no other spot in the world; and when one looks at the magnificent
lines of batteries, bristling with cannon, and the mass of churches,
monasteries, and houses, which towers above them, one can scarcely
believe that the whole has been hewn out of the solid rock of which the
island is composed. But I am not going to describe Malta. In three or
four days more I was quite well, and having succeeded in obtaining leave
from Mr Du Pre for Dicky to accompany me on shore, we landed at the Nix
Mangiare steps, and took our way through the town. The first thing we
did was to hire horses to take a ride into the country. Both of us
could stick on pretty well (what midshipman cannot?); but as for
science, we had none of it. At first we trotted on gaily enough, and
then our horses broke into a gallop, which we enjoyed very much.

"Capital goers, these!" exclaimed Dicky. "If they keep up at this rate,
I vote we take a regular circuit of the island."

"Faith, then, I'm ready for that same," said I; and on we galloped.

So delighted were we at the way our steeds went, that we sat the saddles
and held our reins rather loosely. On a sudden they both came to a full
stop, and up simultaneously went their heels in the air. Over their
heads we flew, and alighted some dozen yards off; while the well-trained
beasts, with neighs of derision which were truly provoking, galloped
back to their stables, leaving us to find our way into Valetta as best
we could. By-the-bye, the horse-master had taken very good care to get
paid first. Dicky sat up on the ground and rubbed his head, to discover
if it was broken. I followed his example, and finding no bones
dislocated, my spirits rose again. We looked at each other, when there
appeared something so ludicrously forlorn in the expression of o