faith in old Bones. When you see the battle swayin' an' it isn't
certain which way it's goin', look for my jolly old banner wavin' above
the stricken field."

"And be sure it _is_ his banner," interrupted Hamilton, "and not his
large feet. Now the last time we had a fight...."

And he proceeded to publish and utter a scandalous libel, Bones
protesting incoherently the while.

The expedition was on the point of starting when Hamilton took his
junior aside.

"Bones," he said, not unkindly, "I know you're a whale of a navigator,
and all that sort of thing, and my sister, who has an awfully keen sense
of humour, would dearly love to see you at the helm of the _Wiggle_, but
as the Commissioner wants to make a holiday, I think it would be best if
you left the steering to one of the boys."

Bones drew himself up stiffly.

"Dear old officer," he said aggrieved, "I cannot think that you wish to
speak disparagingly of my intelligence----"

"Get that silly idea out of your head," said Hamilton. "That is just
what I'm trying to do."

"I'm under your jolly old orders, sir," Bones said with the air of an
early Christian martyr, "and according to Paragraph 156 of King's
Regulations----"

"Don't let us go into that," said Hamilton. "I'm not giving you any
commands, I'm merely making a sensible suggestion. Of course, if you
want to make an ass of yourself----"

"I have never had the slightest inclination that way, cheery old sir,"
said Bones, "and I'm not likely at my time of life to be influenced by
my surroundings."

He saluted again and made his way to the barracks. Bones had a
difficulty in packing his stores. In truth they had all been packed
before he reached the _Wiggle_, and to an unprofessional eye they were
packed very well indeed, but Bones had them turned out and packed _his_
way. When that was done, and it was obvious to the meanest intelligence
that the _Wiggle_ was in terrible danger of capsizing before she
started, the stores were unshipped and rearranged under the directions
of the fuming Hamilton.

When the third packing was completed, the general effect bore a
striking resemblance to the position of the stores as Bones had found
them when he came to the boat. When everybody was ready to start, Bones
remembered that he had forgotten his log-book, and there was another
wait.

"Have you got everything now?" asked Sanders wearily, leaning over the
rail.

"Everything, sir," said Bones, with a salute to