chagrin, found that he had no option but
to remain on board. The second and third lieutenants tossed up to
decide which of them should go, and the "second" was lucky enough to
win. One other officer was required, and the lot fell on Percival, the
master's-mate. The doctor was to go, as a matter of course, but he was
to be a non-combatant. Little Summers and I--poor Pilgarlic--were so
entirely consumed with disgust, that we could find no words sufficiently
powerful to express our feelings, and we simply stood glaring at each
other in moody silence.

Suddenly a brilliant idea flashed through my brain. Winking
encouragingly at the disconsolate Bob, I stepped boldly up to the
skipper, and, touching my cap, said,--

"I hope, sir, as the officers will doubtless go ashore in the cutter,
that you will allow Summers and me to land and join the storming-party.
We will try to make ourselves useful, sir, in the carrying of messages
and so on, and--and we have been looking forward so much to the affair
that--that we _hope_ you will not disappoint us, sir."

"Oh!" said the skipper; "you wish--you and Summers--to join the
storming-party, eh? Well, I weally don't know what to say about that;
it would scarcely be fair to the other young gentlemen, you know.
Still--um--ah--let me see. The admiwal and some of the officers, not
forming part of the stormers, are going on shore, and they will
doubtless use the cutter; and as they will stay until all is over, I
think you may venture to join us, and if you get into twouble over the
affair, I must do the best I can to make excuses for you."

"Hurrah, Bob!" I exclaimed, as I rejoined my despondent friend. "Faint
heart never won fair lady; the skipper has given us permission to slip
ashore and join the stormers, so off you go at once and get ready. And
don't be long, old chap, for the admiral and a lot more are going ashore
in the little `Mouette,' and we must be on hand directly our signal is
made."

"Never fear," joyously responded Bob. "I'll be ready in a brace of
shakes; I've only to get my `weepons' as our Scotch doctor calls them,
and I'll be on deck again as soon as you are."

Having already so successfully enacted the part of a petitioner, I
determined to try my luck once more, and accordingly hunted up the
Honourable Mortimer, who had retired to his cabin. One of the hobbies
of our somewhat eccentric "third" was the collection of choice weapons,
several valuable specim