me games or another. I put it to you, lads;
now didn't he?"

"That's a true word," said one of the men, and several others agreed.

"Yes," growled Tom Tully; "but that was when I weer hot and wanted to
stow some wittles below, and my feet was as sore as if they'd been
holystoned or scraped with a rusty nail. I'm ready enough now."

"Then I think we ought to go. I don't like the idee o' forsakin' of
him."

"Pass the word there for the gunner," cried the corporal of marines.
"Captain wants him in his cabin."

Billy Waters pulled himself together, straightened his pigtail, and
hauling up his slack, as he called it--to wit, giving the waistband of
his trousers a rub up with one arm in front and a hitch up with one arm
behind, he went off aft, and came back at the end of a quarter of an
hour to announce that a fresh search was to be made for Mr Leigh, and
that they were to go ashore as soon as it was dusk.

"What's the good o' going then?" said the boatswain. "Why not go now?"

"That's just what I was a-thinking," said Billy Waters; "but I s'pose
the skipper knows best."

Preparations were made and arms served round. The boat was to go under
command of the gunner, and each man was supplied with a ration of
biscuits, to be supplemented by a tot of grog before starting, which was
to be just at dark, and the men, being all eager to find their young
officer, who was a great favourite, lounged about waiting the order, a
most welcome one on account of the grog; but just as the grog was being
mixed in its proper proportions the gunner was sent for to the cabin,
where the lieutenant was still bathing his eye.

"Has that grog been served out, Waters?"

"No, your honour; it's just a-going to be done."

"Go and stop it."

"Stop it, your honour? The men's grog?"

"Go and stop it, I say," cried the lieutenant irascibly. "I shall not
send the expedition to-night."

Billy Waters went back and gave the order in the hearing of the
assembled crew, from whom a loud murmur arose--truth to tell more on
account of the extra tot of grog than the disappointment about searching
for Hilary; but the latter feeling dominated a few minutes later, and
the men lay about grumbling in no very pleasant way.

"I say it's a shame, that's what I says it is," growled Tom Tully, "and
it ought to be reported. For half a button I'd desart, and go and look
for him myself--that's about what I'd do."

Just then Chips, who had knocked off wo