ly looked on their second lieutenant with much the same
feelings as did the two midshipmen; while he, regardless of what they
thought of him, accompanied Adair into the gun-room to make himself
acquainted with the rest of his messmates. The remainder of the
gun-room officers and midshipmen joined the next day, and, the
complement of the crew being made up, the corvette, casting off from the
hulk, took up her moorings in the middle of the harbour. Of the
new-comers, two small midshipmen, who had never before been to sea,
Paddy Desmond immediately designated one "Billy Blueblazes," in
consequence of his boasting that he was related to an admiral of that
name, while the other was allowed to retain his proper appellation of
"Dicky Duff," Paddy declaring that it required no reformation. An old
mate who was always grumbling, and two young one who had just passed
their examination, with an assistant-surgeon, two clerks, and a master's
assistant, made up the mess; and pretty closely stowed they were in the
narrow confines of the berth. The only other person worthy of note was
the third warrant-officer, the carpenter, who rejoiced in the
designation of Caractacus Chessle, the name of the British hero having
been bestowed on him by his father, who had once on a time been a
stage-player. He was as tall and bulky as the gunner was short and
wiry; indeed, the three warrant-officers formed a strange contrast with
each other.

Murray frequently came on board to see how things were getting on, but
never interfered with Adair's arrangements. He was sometimes
accompanied by Admiral Triton, who seemed to take almost as much
interest as he did in fitting out the ship. The sails were now bent,
and Murray waited in daily expectation of receiving his sailing orders.
Meantime, the kind admiral and his sister were moved with the thoughts
of poor Stella's approaching bereavement, and, knowing nothing of
Adair's attachment, he got Deb to write to Lady Rogers, inviting one of
her daughters to pay them a visit, and assist in taking care of Mrs
Murray. As it happened, he said nothing of the first lieutenant of the
_Opal_, and Sir John and her ladyship, supposing that Adair was at
Ballymacree, made no objection to Lucy's accepting the invitation. She
accordingly, much to Murray's satisfaction, arrived the very day the
ship was ready for sea. It so fell out that Adair, who had managed to
escape from his multifarious duties, and was not aware