Blue had given his cage full of birds to Mrs Pringle, as he knew
she would prize it; he had, however, gifts especially brought for Mrs
Bush and all her family, as well as for Mrs Ogle, and for several other
friends not so intimately related to him as they were; and he found that
they were the means of affording infinite satisfaction to all parties.

The first thing the next morning, after breakfast, the young
warrant-officers set off to pay their respects to the three old
warrant-officers in Portsmouth Harbour, on board the _Jupiter_, _Lion_,
and _Portland_, seventy-fours.

Paul Pringle was, of course, the first visited, His pipe was shrilly
sounding as ponderous yards and coils of rope and casks and guns and
gun-carriages and other innumerable fittings and gear of a ship were
being hoisted up and lowered into lighters alongside, to convey them to
the dockyard. His delight at seeing True Blue as he stepped on deck was
so great that he forgot to pipe "Belay," and a twenty-four pounder would
have been run up to the yardarm had not his godson instinctively
supplied the omission with his own pipe, though, when Harry afterwards
informed him of the fact, he was not in the slightest degree aware that
he had done so.

As Paul was then so very busy, they promised to return at dinner time,
and went on to see Peter Ogle. It was remarked, however, that Paul did
not for the remainder of the forenoon carry on his duties with his usual
exactness, and seemed far more elated and excitable than was his wont.

Peter Ogle's pleasure at seeing True Blue was only surpassed by that of
Paul. He received his old friends in his cabin, which, as True Blue
glanced round it, showed that a considerable amount of feminine taste
had been exercised in its adornment.

"Make yourselves at home, my lads--brother officers, I should say,
though," he said, glancing at their uniforms, "It is a pleasure to see
you, Billy, my dear boy, and you too, Harry, though I haven't known you
by some fifteen years or more so long as True Blue. Boy, bring glasses.
Here's some real honest schiedam, taken out of a Dutch prize. Help
yourselves. You neither of you are topers, I know; so much the better.
And now let's hear what you've been about since I last clapped eyes on
you."

True Blue on this gave a rapid account of their doings in the _Rover_
after the _Gannet_ had sailed for England, and of numerous adventures
which had subsequently befallen them before they