clearer insight into their characters and dispositions than we had been
able to obtain at the admiral's dinner-table, and helped us to
definitely make up our minds under which leader, if either of them, we
would serve.

Punctual to the moment Courtenay and I presented ourselves on the
quarter-deck of the _Mars_ next day and sent in our names to the
admiral, who was in his cabin, just as the ship's bell was striking
eight. We were at once invited to step into the cabin, which we did,
finding the old gentleman busy with his secretary writing letters. He
had evidently just completed the dictation of one as we entered, for he
remarked to the thin pale young man who was seated with him at the
table:

"There, Purkis, that will do for the present. Just transcribe the
documents you have already taken down whilst I have a chat with these
young gentlemen; and I daresay that by the time you have finished I
shall be ready to go on again. Well, young gentlemen," he continued,
"good morning. Find a couple of chairs and bring yourselves to an
anchor," waving his hand toward some of the articles of furniture in
question as he spoke.

When we had seated ourselves he resumed:

"Well, now that you have slept over the offers you received last night,
what do you think of them?"

As he looked straight at me during the propounding of this question I
took the initiative in replying, and said:

"So far as I am concerned, sir, _unless you have something else in view
for me_, I should like to join the _Alecto_ and serve under Captain
Fanshawe."

"And you?" inquired the old gentleman, turning to Courtenay.

"I should like to accompany my friend Lascelles wherever he goes, if you
have no objection, sir," was Courtenay's reply.

"Well," said the admiral, rubbing his bald head in a manner which seemed
to denote that he was somewhat perplexed, "I think you have chosen very
well. The _Alecto_ is a noble frigate and a very comfortable ship,
whilst Fanshawe is one of the very best men on the station, or indeed I
may say in the entire service. He will be very glad to have you both, I
know, if you elect to join, him. But you," he continued, addressing me
more particularly, "qualified the expression of your choice by adding
the words, `unless you have something else in view for me,' upon which
words you laid some stress. Now, I do not wish to influence either of
you in any way; but do I understand you to mean by that expression that
you