March day too, and he was chilled with his
journey. He took off his great coat, which, with his other things,
Boots carried to his room, and then the two old messmates sat down
before the fire. They had been talking on for some time while their
dinner was getting ready, when Adair observed a young man sitting at a
table a little way off, narrowly observing them. Terence looked at him
in return.

"Do you know, Jack, I do verily believe that there sits no other than
Bully Pigeon," he whispered. "What can he be doing down here?"

The stranger, seeing them looking at him, got up, and approaching them
with his hand extended, said--

"What, do I see some old friends? Rogers! Adair! Very glad to see
you. How de do? How de do? You remember me, surely. I'm Pigeon."

Thus addressed, it would not have been in the nature of either of the
two midshipmen to have refused to shake hands with their old
schoolfellow, bully though he had been. They invited him to join them;
and when they had dined they all three sat over their wine together,
talking merrily of former days.

"I'm going out to China in the diplomatic line," observed Pigeon, in his
old tone. "I have a notion that I shall be able to manage the
Celestials. There are few people who can deceive me."

These, and a few other similar remarks, showed that Pigeon in one
respect was little changed from what he had been in his early days.
When or how he was going out to China he did not say.

They had been chatting away for some time when another cab rattled up to
the inn, and presently at the door of the coffee-room who should appear,
to the delight of Rogers and Adair, but Murray himself. They dragged
him into the room, each eager to know what ship he was come to join.
Paddy gave a shout of delight when he heard that he was appointed to the
_Dugong_. He told them besides that she was certainly under orders for
China, to sail as soon as ready for sea, and that the _Blenny_ was also
to be sent there.

The old schoolfellows, as may be supposed, passed a very pleasant
evening, their pleasure being heightened with the anticipation of being
together in whatever work they might be engaged. Even Bully Pigeon was
sufferable (as Paddy observed), if he was not altogether agreeable. He
had a number of strange adventures to narrate, of which he was the hero.
Although his accounts were not implicitly believed, it was agreed that,
at all events, they were possible, which