ell as my own, I
should have naturally wished to do; but besides wishing to see the end
of this affair with Rosas, I should have been excessively unwilling to
leave the country till we can get back our young scapegraces. I wish we
could see Murray looking as if he was in a fair way to recover. Still
the doctors say he will do well, and the thought of again meeting with
his lady-love will, I hope, assist to bring him round. He expects to
find her in England, though I fancy that he has not heard from her since
we came out here."

"I am indeed glad that you are to remain," said Jack. "What ship are
you to join?"

"I am appointed to the commodore's ship, but I have received directions
to serve under your orders on board the _Supplejack_, which I assure you
gives me infinite satisfaction, as I have hopes that you and I, by
putting our heads together, may devise some plan for the recovery of the
youngsters."

Jack of course said how glad he was.

"When does the _Tudor_ sail?" he asked.

"As soon as the wind will allow her," said Adair.

"At all events, I will go on board early to-morrow morning to see
Murray," said Jack. "The worst of it is that I must, of course, send a
letter by him; and yet I scarcely like to write home with the
unsatisfactory intelligence I have to give. However, they will be more
anxious and alarmed if they do not hear, so I must tell the whole truth,
and express my hopes that we shall recover the youngsters before long."

"I must write the same to my poor sister Nora," observed Terence. "I
was half inclined to say nothing at all about the matter; but as it is
certain to get into the papers, the poor woman will see it and be
troubling herself about her boy, and fancying that she is never to see
him again. For my part, I feel sure, however, that the youngsters will
turn up somewhere or other; as it is my firm conviction, from
experience, that a midshipman has as many lives as a cat, or,
considering the immense trouble most youngsters take to expend
themselves, there would be no superior officers in the service."

"What is the squadron to do next? have you heard?" asked Jack.

"To proceed up the Parana to Santa Fe de Baxadar, and to convoy down a
fleet of merchantmen which Rosas has shut up there," answered Adair.
"Whether or not he will let us pass peaceably up is the question. He
has still got plenty of light artillery, which will prove excessively
troublesome to us, as they can fire