re, it is settled, so let us say no more about
the matter."

Thus Jack found himself, more speedily than he expected, about to go
once more afloat. That afternoon, in company with two of his brothers
and his sister Mary, he galloped round and paid his farewells to his
friends in the neighbourhood; and then his chest was packed, the
contents of which all the womankind in and out of the house, for a long
way round, had been employed without cessation, night and day, in
getting ready. So when the admiral, as he had done four years before,
drove up to the door, he was perfectly ready to accompany him. Jack did
his best to keep up the spirits of his mother and sister to the last,
though just as he was going they gave way, and he himself was nearly
upset. All the fighting he had seen had not hardened his heart. Away
he and the admiral went down to Portsmouth. The next morning they were,
soon after breakfast, on board the _Ranger_, then fitting out alongside
a hulk. She was a six and thirty gun frigate, no great improvement on
the _Racer_, but still a ship which an actively disposed officer might
well be glad to get. Several of the officers had already joined, and
the admiral made a few favourable remarks about Jack, which placed him
at once in a favourable light in their eyes. Captain Lascelles, who was
living on shore, welcomed him very kindly, and Jack was very well
pleased with what he saw of his future companions. The third lieutenant
of the frigate had not been appointed. However, three or four days
after Jack had joined, who should make his appearance but old Hemming,
who had, on the paying off of the _Racer_, got his somewhat tardy
promotion. Jack did not know that he was promoted, and was not a little
pleased to find that he was their third lieutenant. Jack had written to
Adair and Murray directly he found that he was appointed to the
_Ranger_, urging them to exert all their interest to get appointed to
her likewise, but he had not yet heard from either of them. One was in
Ireland, the other in Scotland. Hemming laughed when he told him what
he had done.

"Their friends may take some trouble to get them on board a ship going
to the Mediterranean, or to keep them on the Home station; but depend on
it they will not bestir themselves to have them sent out to the Coast,"
he remarked.

Captain Lascelles' character was well-known, so he soon got his ship
manned and ready for sea. Admiral Triton had gone o