les--you
know the kind of thing----" The visionary got down off his chest, and,
plucking the sides of his monkey-jacket between finger and thumb,
pirouetted gracefully amid the scattered suit-cases and litter of
clothes. "Comme ca!" he concluded.

"What then?" demanded Lettigne, growing interested.

"Then," continued Matthews, "then we'll go and have supper
somewhere--oysters and things like that. Mushrooms, p'raps...."

"With an actress, Matt?" asked a small Midshipman, known as "the White
Rabbit," in half-awed, half-incredulous tones of admiration.

"P'raps," admitted the prospective man-about-town. "My brother knows
tons of 'em."

Harcourt burst into shouts of delight. "Can't you see Matt?" he cried
hilariously. "Having supper with a massive actress!" He slapped his
thighs delightedly. "Matt swilling ginger ale and saying, 'You're 's'
dev'lish fine womansh.' ... No, don't start scrapping, Matt; I've just
put on a clean collar ... and it's got to last.... All right--_pax_,
then."

"Well," said Matthews, when peace was restored. "What's everyone else
going to do? What are you going to do, Harcourt?"

"Me and Mordy are going to attrapay the wily trout," was the reply.
"He's going to spend part of the leave with me, and I'm going to spend
part with him. We're going to clean out the pond at his place.
Topping rag."

"And you, Wonk?"

"Cricket," was the reply. "And strawberries. Chiefly strawberries."

"What about you, Bosh?"

"I shall lie in a hammock, and tell lies about the Navy to my sisters a
good deal of the time. And when I'm tired of that I shall just lie--in
the hammock. Sorry, I didn't mean to be funny----Ow! I swear it was
unintentional. Matt, I swear----"

The furious jarring of an electric gong somewhere overhead drowned all
other sounds.

"Boat's called away!" shouted the Senior Midshipman. "Up on deck,
everyone. Knock off scrapping, Bosh and Matt, or you'll be all adrift."

There was a general scramble for bags and suit-cases, and, burdened
with their impedimenta, the Midshipmen made their way up on to the
quarterdeck.

Thorogood, Officer of the Watch, was walking up and down with an
expression of bored resignation to the inevitable. Forward of the
after superstructure the liberty-men were falling-in in all the glory
of white cap-covers and brand-new suits, carrying little bundles in
their hands. There was on each man's countenance that curious blend of
solemnity a