ot much the matter with a midshipman when he is able to fling a sly
jest in the face of his captain. But--midshipman? My dear Ralph, you
are no longer such. How _could_ I be so forgetful? Your commission has
come out by the packet which arrived yesterday, and the admiral will
hand it you the first time you call upon him. Now let me be the first
to congratulate you, which I do most heartily."

We left the house together in the cool of the evening, driving down to
the wharf in a ketureen which some friend had been ill-advised enough to
lend the skipper, who was no great hand at the ribbons, and who narrowly
missed capsizing the concern two or three times during the trip. The
gig was waiting for us; and, jumping in, the sails were set, and we flew
down the boat-channel with a spanking land breeze under the glorious
light of a full moon.

When we reached the ship, I found that my return on board had been made
the occasion of a regular jollification; the skipper having invited the
whole of the quarter-deck officers to meet me in the cabin at a late
dinner and wet my commission.

All the old faces were there, I was glad to see, including even that of
Captain Flinn, whose ship, the "Artemise," happened to be in port at the
time, and little Fisher, who had recovered in a most marvellous manner
from his dreadful wounds. There was a great deal of yarn-spinning, some
capital singing, and a great deal of wine-drinking, too, on the part of
one or two of the guests, notwithstanding which latter drawback we spent
a very pleasant evening.

On the following morning I waited upon the admiral and received my
commission, the presentation of which he saw fit to accompany with a few
complimentary as well as congratulatory remarks; and in the afternoon I
drove out to Hurstleigh, as Mr Finnie had named his place, for the
purpose of packing up my few traps and bidding my kindest of friends
farewell. I remained there that night, joining the ship about twelve
o'clock next day.

Two days afterwards we sailed from Port Royal, about five o'clock a.m.,
and after a long but uneventful passage arrived safely home. We
anchored at Spithead on the night of our arrival, and next day the ship
was taken into harbour and paid off.

When all was done, it was too late for a start for home that night; so
the skipper--who had no relations belonging to him, and therefore
intended to visit his dearie before going anywhere else--and I put up at
the "