eartily than did young Glover.

"I must thank you for myself, Morton," he exclaimed, in a tone which
showed that he spoke from his heart. "If it had not been for you I
should have been among the missing, to a certainty."

Morton's own heart was too full to answer. Numberless emotions were
working in his bosom. He felt a proud satisfaction at having obtained
the rank for which he was conscious he was fitted; he sincerely rejoiced
at having been the means of saving his captain from a severe wound, if
not from death; and scarcely less so at having prevented Glover from
being drowned. All these feelings kept him silent: but his silence was
understood; and perhaps no one felt more pleased at seeing him on the
quarter-deck than did Captain Courtney himself.

"Now back to your duty, my lads," he exclaimed; "we have plenty of work
before us."

Three hearty cheers burst unpremeditatedly from the throats of the
crew--and then in high spirits they separated to their respective
duties. The work was accomplished, as the captain knew it would be, all
the better for this little interruption.

Ronald hurried below. He wanted to be the first to tell his father of
his good fortune, as he called it.

Rolf Morton was less surprised than he expected. "I was certain it
would be so some day, if your life was spared," he observed. "And now,
my boy, that your foot is on the first ratline, mount upwards by your
own exertions. Be thankful to others who help you, but trust to
yourself for success."

Ronald had got his father to select a little fellow called Bobby Doull,
as his boy, whom he had, when he first came on board, taken under his
protection.

Bobby had been sent to sea from a workhouse. If not an orphan he was in
the condition of one; for his father, who was a seaman, had deserted
him, and had not, since he was an infant, been heard of. Ronald had, at
first, frequently to do battle in his cause; but he at length taught the
other boys to respect him, and to let Bobby alone.

Bobby did his best to repay the kindness he had received, by his
constant attention to the wants of the wounded boatswain.

Ronald had now to mess with the midshipmen. One of his first duties was
to visit the prize, as soon as the boats had been got ready to transfer
the prisoners to the "Thisbe."

Glover had insisted on lending him a uniform, jacket, and dirk, till he
could obtain a suit of his own.

Ronald did not hesitate about accepting t