mps, offered a marked contrast to the other parts of the
vessel they had traversed.

To the Captain, indeed, it was like passing from purgatory to fairyland,
as he said; the more so from the fact of his seeing a well-spread table
before him, and there being a savoury smell permeating the atmosphere.

So, he took his seat with alacrity, prepared to do ample justice to
whatever viands were brought forward.

Bob, who came in a little later, his curiosity being attracted by the
sight of the open torpedo-room adjacent, with its stores of Whitehead
tubes, gave the witty young surgeon, who was facing the door, an
opportunity of cracking a joke at the expense of his smutty face, which
he had been unable to wash since his tumble amongst the coals.

"Hullo, Pompey!" cried out this worthy, who by the way had been
previously chaffed by his brother officers, such is the levity of
sailors in imminent peril, about the gun accident not having provided
him with any patients. "Hullo, Pompey, you've forgotten your banjo and
bones!"

Bob did not see the point of the joke at first, although there was a
general titter round the lower part of the table where the young surgeon
was seated; when Master Bob did, however, he blushed pretty red, looking
uncommonly sheepish.

But the lieutenant came to his rescue.

"He has left his bones behind advisedly, Phillips," said he to the young
surgeon, who was smiling still at his own witticism, "because he knew,
if he brought them, you would only carve and saw them about as you
served those fossils at the hospital."

This turned the laugh against the other, enabling Bob to sit down in
peace and enjoy his luncheon, during which he was much amused at the fun
going on amongst the junior officers at their end of the festive board
about the splendid chances offered for promotion and "unfortunately
missed" by the bursting cannon.

"Just fancy!" observed one of those, speaking in an undertone, so that
those of superior rank at the upper end of the table could not hear him.
"Three `flags,' four `posts,' half-a-dozen commanders, and two `first
luffs,' all within range of that blessed muzzle that carried away; and
not one vacancy on the list!"

"It's positively awful," chimed in another, in cordial agreement with
his brother sub, "we may never have such a chance again!"

The Captain subsequently explained to Bob that they meant that had the
several admirals and other officers of rank who stood behind