tronger, and should be
very glad when the doctor would allow me to return to duty.

"Ah! yes," said he, "I daresay you will. Very irksome to be idling
about the decks all day. I should think change of air would do you
good."

"I believe it would, sir," I replied, thinking from his manner of
speaking that he had a proposal of some sort to make.

"Yes, no doubt about it," returned the skipper. "And you would like it?
Then be so kind as to find Mr Malcolm," (the surgeon), "and ask him to
step into my cabin for a moment, if he is disengaged."

Certain now that there was something in the wind, I lost no time in
hunting up the worthy medico and delivering the skipper's message, which
I supplemented by a request upon my own account, that if any proposal
were made to send me away upon another expedition, the doctor would
kindly throw no difficulties in the way.

To which the canny Scotchman replied,--

"Before makin' any sic a promise, I'll just bide a wee and speir a few
particulars anent the nature o' the said expedition, laddie. If it's o'
a nature to prove benefecial to your health--why then I'm no saying but
what I may be induced to do what I can to forward your views; but no'
itherwise."

I watched him into the cabin, and then "stood off and on" outside upon
the quarter-deck, awaiting his reappearance.

I had not long to wait. In less than five minutes he came out upon the
quarter-deck, and seeing me, beckoned me to approach.

"It's a' right, laddie," said he, "just gang ben til him,"--pointing to
the cabin--"and tak' your instructions. It's just the vera thing I wad
hae prescribed for you had it been possible to hae had the prescription
mad' up. But ye'll no gang oot o' the ship until ye hae been to me for
a wee drappie pheesic ye maun tak' along wi' ye, d'ye mind?"

I promised the kind-hearted old fellow I would be sure to do his bidding
and then joyously entered the cabin.

"Sit down, Mr Chester," said the skipper, when I made my appearance. I
took the chair which he had indicated, and he then proceeded,--

"The admiral has some important despatches to send away, which he is
anxious should reach England as speedily as possible. The `Vigilant'
will take them hence to Gibraltar, and the admiral there will be
requested to despatch a frigate with them for the rest of the journey,
as Lord Hood thinks the `Vigilant' scarcely fit to cross the Bay of
Biscay. The only question has been who to send with t