old friend Jack
Rogers, who had been superseded by Commander Rawson, was on her passage
across the wide Pacific, bound for Esquimault harbour, Vancouver's
Island, from Japan, to which she had been sent with despatches.

The wind being fair, the screw was at rest, and she was under all sail,
looking as trim and taunt a little man-of-war as a sailor's heart could
desire. Her stay in Japan had been short, so that no leave had been
granted, and even the officers had seen little of the country and
people; though, as they hoped to return before long, that did not much
matter. As it was of no great importance that the _Dragon_ should soon
get back to Vancouver's Island, Commander Rawson had received directions
to visit the Ladrone Islands, somewhat to the southward of his course,
in order to obtain particulars of an outrage, said to have been
committed on an English subject by some of the mongrel inhabitants of
those islands, which have for some centuries belonged to Spain.

The smooth sea shone brightly in the rays of the sun, undimmed by cloud
or mist. In all directions the snowy wings of sea fowl could be seen,
now dipping towards the ocean, now rising into the blue ether, showing
that land was at no great distance. As the wind was from the northward,
the air was cool, though the shady side of the ship was generally sought
for by the watch on deck, except by a few whose heads seemed impervious
to the hot rays of a tropical sun.

Two midshipmen were slowly pacing the port side of the quarter-deck,
where a few feet of shade afforded them shelter from the heat. The one,
a somewhat short, well-knit lad, with open countenance, well tanned, and
blue laughing eyes, his whole appearance giving promise of strength and
activity; the other, a tall youth with sandy hair, and pleasant features
well freckled. Though tall, he was too well built to be called lanky,
and showed that he possessed both strength and activity.

"I say, Archie, I do envy those fellows of the _Eolus_ going on to
China; they will see all sorts of fun, for the Celestials are sure not
to give in in a hurry. The _Eoluses_ will have the same sort of work
that my brother Jack and your cousin Murray went through in the last
Chinese war, when they were midshipmen."

The speaker was Tom Rogers, the youngest brother of Captain Jack Rogers;
his companion was Archie Gordon, Captain Alick Murray's cousin.

"Gerald was dreadfully cut up at not being able to remain o