ably received by them with a silence more eloquent than words, and
with an expression of ironical incredulity which could only be
adequately atoned for by the shedding of their heart's blood. Therefore
I had ceased to refer to a subject the mention of which was invariably
followed by much annoyance, and hence the preternatural sensitiveness
which caused me to suspect, rather than to absolutely detect, a quiver
of suppressed laughter in the voice of the man who on this morning awoke
me with the announcement of "Your shaving-water, sir."

The temporary irritation arising out of this painful and humiliating
suspicion had one good result, however; it effectually awoke me and
enabled me to promptly turn out; while, but for it, the late hours of
the previous night might otherwise have caused me to doze off again, and
so become guilty of the quite unpardonable offence of keeping an admiral
waiting.

As it was, I was dressed and down in the breakfast-room so promptly that
the admiral rather kept _me_ waiting; which was quite a different
matter. By eleven o'clock however, we were on board the "Vigilant;" and
after going carefully through and over the craft--accompanied by myself,
Tom Hardy, and the carpenter's mate--the old boy came to the conclusion
that she was strong enough to go round the world if required, and that
he therefore need have no hesitation whatever about ordering us to
proceed to England forthwith.

He would, however, he said, take it upon himself to detain us until
evening; by which time he would have ready some despatches of his own,
which he wished to forward.

We utilised the time by filling up provisions and water; a task which
was left to the superintendence of Tom Hardy, while Smellie and I had a
scramble through the gun-galleries and to the telegraph-station at the
summit of the Rock; and just as the sunset-gun boomed out on the evening
air we weighed and stood out of the bay, with a light north-easterly
breeze, passing Tarifa Point shortly before midnight.

By breakfast-time on the morning but one following, we were abreast of
Cape Saint Vincent. Eighteen hours later, we made the Rock of Lisbon;
and, on the fifth day out from Gibraltar, finding ourselves in the
latitude of Cape Finisterre, we hauled up to the northward and eastward
for Ushant; and entered the Bay of Biscay.

So far, all had gone well. We had been favoured with fine weather, and
winds which, while somewhat inclined to be light