enants, and then captains; and if
that swab of a boy of mine minds his eye he'll be a bo'sun."

"You'll lay up now, I suppose?" said Roylance.

"Me, sir? me lay up?" cried the boatswain, indignantly. "Not the man.
No, sir, I hope to sail yet with young Capen Belton when the old capen's
a admiral, as he's sure to be afore long."

"Seems a long time to wait for promotion," said Syd.

"Awful, sir, to a young gent who has only been two years at sea. But--
whish, sir! Look!"

Syd, who was leaning over the side with Roylance, gazing at the town,
started with pleasure, for in the stern-sheets of the barge, which was
coming back from shore with the captain, who was returning to take leave
of his officers before quitting the _Sirius_ for good, was the
grey-whiskered, florid face of Admiral Belton.

He came on board, bowing to the salutes given him, and then looking
round sharply, he exclaimed--

"Now then, where's that doctor?"

"Here, uncle," cried Syd, merrily.

"Why! Well! Hang the boy, I shouldn't have known you. You have grown!
Shake hands, you dog! I'm proud of you. I know all about it. I say,"
he said with a chuckle, "don't want to be a doctor now, eh?"

"Saving your honour's presence," growled a deep voice, "I dunno what we
should ha' done if he hadn't been one."

"Hah! bo'sun, you there. Glad to see you. Do you follow my brother to
his new ship?"

"Ay, ay, sir; please goodness, and Mr Belton here, too."

"No," said Captain Belton, quietly. "My son is going for a cruise with
Commander Dallas in the sloop-of-war to which he has been appointed."

"Then, saving your honour's presence, and thinking of you as the best
captain I ever served, if it could be managed, I'd like to sail under
Mr Dallas too, and I'll take my boy."

"You shall, Strake; and I'm very glad."

So six months after Sydney Belton joined the sloop _Ariel_, and this
time saw active, service in the eastern seas.

THE END.

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