had gone off with his despatches directly after
his counterfeit, only to find the cutter gone.

Signal guns and flags proving vain, there was nothing for it but to send
another vessel in chase of the _Kestrel_, but it was hours before one
could be got off, and meanwhile the swift despatch boat was tearing on
towards her destination, with poor Hilary happy in the blind belief that
he was doing his best.

There was something very delightful in feeling that he was chief officer
of the _Kestrel_, that the duty of the swift little cutter was to be
carried out without the wretched cavilling and fault-finding of the late
commander. Everything seemed to work so smoothly now; the men were all
alacrity, and they saluted him constantly with a bright smile, which
showed that they shared his pleasure.

The breeze was brisk, the sun came out, and Lieutenant Anderson, the
self-styled, proved to be a very pleasant, well informed man, who very
soon showed Hilary that he had not the slightest intention of
interfering in any way with his management of the cutter.

"No," said Hilary to himself, "I suppose not. As they told me, he is
only to interfere in cases of emergency, or when I am doing any foolish
thing; and that I don't mean to do if I can help it."

Towards afternoon the wind fell light, and the great squaresail was
spread, but it made little appreciable difference, and as evening came
on, to Hilary's great disgust the wind dropped almost completely.

"Did you ever know anything so unfortunate!" cried Hilary; "just when I
wanted to show the admiral what speed there was in the little _Kestrel_
as a despatch boat."

"Unfortunate!" cried his companion, who had been struggling to maintain
his composure, but who now broke out; "it is atrocious, sir. Those
despatches are of the greatest importance, and here your cursed vessel
lies upon the water like a log!" Hilary stared.

"It is very unfortunate," he said; "but let's hope the wind will spring
up soon after sundown."

"Hope, sir!" cried the other. "Don't talk of hope. Do something."

Hilary flushed a little at the other's imperious way. He was not going
to prove so pleasant a companion as he had hoped for, and there was that
worst of all qualities for a man in command--unreason.

"I am to take your advice, sir, in emergencies," said Hilary,
restraining his annoyance; "what would you suggest for me to do?"

"I suggest, Lieutenant Leigh!" exclaimed the other, stamping