f noted fwom time to time your possession of
those--ah--desiwable chawactewistics. Partly on this account, and
partly because of your--ah--intimate knowledge of the Fwench language, I
have selected you for the performance of a service in which all the
qualities I have mentioned are--er--conspicuously necessawy. You will
understand this more clearly when I explain that the service consists in
the safe conveyance of certain vewy important documents to the hands of
a Corsican gentleman on shore yonder, in the face of unknown but
possibly sewious difficulties from the numewous Fwench twoops occupying
the island, and into whose hands the documents in question must by no
means be allowed to fall. I should hesitate vewy stwongly about
intwusting one so young with a mission so delicate but for Mr
Annesley's positive assuwance that I may safely do so. Now, what say
you? are you willing to undertake the service?"

To say that I _jumped_ at the offer would but feebly express the
eagerness with which I answered in the affirmative. Here was one of
those chances for distinguishing myself for which I had so ardently
longed, and here too was the prospect of at least temporary freedom from
the restraints of discipline and the monotony of shipboard, to say
nothing of the possibilities of excitement and adventure involved in the
performance of a secret service in the enemy's country. It was with the
utmost difficulty I controlled my excitement sufficiently to listen to
the skipper's instructions, and to absorb and master the information
necessary to the successful conduct of the enterprise.

The map spread upon the table was a map of Corsica drawn to a large
scale, and showing every road, stream, mountain-path, wood, chateau--
indeed I might almost say _every house_ on the island; and upon it was
marked in red ink the various French posts, as far as they could be
ascertained, while crosses in blue ink indicated the posts of the
insurgent Corsicans. Captain Hood produced also a skeleton map of the
island drawn to a very small scale, containing only such information as
was necessary for my guidance; and during the delivery of his
instructions frequent reference was made to both these maps, as well as
to a manuscript book of what would be called "sailing directions" if it
referred to a journey by water instead of by land, and from which I made
brief notes from time to time, by way of memory-refreshers, in a tiny
book with which Capta