Wilson--that he does not like to be sent
on board, nothing more. He's not to be cooped up--you may lead him, but
not drive him."

"Yes, but the service will not admit of it. I never could allow it--he
must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules."

"Exactly, so he must; but look ye, Wilson, you must not lose him: it's
all easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from the
ship; that will be employment, and he can always remain here at night.
I will tell him that I have asked, as a favour, what I now do, and leave
me to find out what he is thinking about."

"It may be done that way, certainly," replied Captain Wilson, musing;
"and you are more likely to get his intentions from him than I am. I am
afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship;
it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied."

"He's a long way from ruin yet, Wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even by
your own acknowledgment. You humoured him out of gratitude to his
father, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now to
keep him in it. Besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool with
his universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking advantage
of it?"

"No, but I ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open."

"He has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to take
advantage of his confidence: but still what I proposed would, I think,
be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit all
parties. You, because you employ him on service--the first lieutenant,
because Jack can take his medicine--and Jack, because he can dine with
me every day."

"Well, I suppose it must be so," replied Captain Wilson, laughing; "but
still, I trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to induce
him to give me that answer, Governor."

"Never fear, Jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of a
Catholic bigot before his padre."

The party sat down to dinner, and what with the Governor's aide-de-camp
and those invited, it was pretty numerous. After the cloth had been
removed, the Governor called upon Jack for his stories, whereupon, much
to the surprise of Captain Wilson, who had never heard one word of it,
for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during the
short time the _Aurora_ was with the Toulon fleet, our hero gave the
Governor and the company the narrative of all that happened in the