e wherever I please, to bind themselves not to break their
engagement without my leave till we return, even if it is for three
years?"

"I could say yes, sir, for they'd follow me wherever I went, but I'll
ask them."

"Do," said Sir John.

The captain touched a table gong, and the steward appeared promptly.

"Go and ask Mr Bartlett to pipe all hands aft," said the captain.

The man ascended, and the next minute the clear note of a whistle rang
out, to be followed by the trampling of feet, and the captain rose,
evidently satisfied at the promptitude with which his order was obeyed.

"They're waiting sir," he said.

Upon the party going on deck, there were the crew drawn up, quite as
smart as men-o'-war's men, and all looking as eager as schoolboys to
learn the meaning of their summons.

"'Tention!" said the captain; and, to use the old saying, the dropping
of a pin could have been heard. "This gentleman, Sir John Meadows,
Bart., is going to buy the _Silver Star_."

"Hurrah!" shouted a man.

"Steady there!" cried the captain sternly. "He means to sail right away
east, through the Canal, and along the islands, to stop here and there
where he likes--two or three years' cruise--and he wants to know if you
will sign articles to go with him, and do your duty like men."

There was a dead silence, and as the men began directly after to whisper
together, Jack, who but a minute before had felt in his misery and
despair that he would give anything to hear the men refuse, now, by a
strange perversity of feeling, grew indignant with them for seeming to
hesitate about doing their duty to his father.

"Well, my lads, what is it?" said the captain sternly. "What are you
whispering about? Can't you give a straightforward yes or no?"

There was another whispering, and the words "You speak", "No, you," came
plainly to Jack's ears, followed by one man shouting--

"We want to know, sir, who's to be in command?"

"Why, I am, my lads, of course."

"Hooray!" came in a roar; and then--"All of us--yes, sir, we'll go," and
another cheer.

"There's your answer, sir," said the captain; and then turning to the
men--"Thankye, my lads, thankye."

"Yes, that's my answer," said Sir John, "and an endorsement of my
feeling that I am doing right."

"And thank you, sir," said the captain warmly. "We'll do our duty by
you, never fear. Perhaps you'll say a word to Mr Bartlett, sir," he
whispered. "Good man and true, and a thoroug