nd is my brother Jack, and there are not many like him. I've been
twice up to the main truck, and ever so often into the mizen-top, and
we've a capital mess, and shall be a jolly set when all hands join. Are
you going to belong to us?"

"I dinna think so," answered Archy, in a broad Scotch accent. "My
cousin, that is my father's sister's son, Alick Murray there, is
lieutenant of a ship they call the _Tudor_, and I'm to go alang wi'
him."

"Oh, that's the small craft fitting out ahead of us. She's a fine
little ship of her class though, so my brother Jack says, and so I may
congratulate you, but of course she's not to be compared to our frigate.
I say, you must come and pay us a visit on board, and I'll put you up
to all sorts of things."

Archy expressed himself much obliged, but cautiously refrained from
accepting the invitation till he knew what his cousin Alick might say on
the subject.

Meantime Jack and Alick Murray were talking eagerly together.

"And where are you bound for?" asked Jack.

"I heard through a friend at the Admiralty that the _Tudor_ is to be
sent to the same station as the _Plantagenet_, which, as you may
suppose, gave me no slight satisfaction," answered Murray.

"That is capital news," cried Jack. "It will be curious if we keep
together as lieutenants as much as we did as midshipmen, and go through
as many more adventures as we have already fallen in with. I only wish
that by some wonderful chance Paddy Adair could be with us."

"And that same wonderful chance has brought him here," exclaimed a voice
from behind, and while a hand was placed on the shoulders of each, on
looking round they caught sight of the merry countenance of Paddy
himself, now smiling into the face of one, now into that of the other.

"It's dropped from the clouds you are after thinking I am now," he
continued, laughing, "only they don't as a rule rain such big fish as
myself. Well then, to satisfy your curiosity you are indebted for the
satisfaction of seeing me here this morning, to a peremptory missive
from my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, directing me to hasten
over from Ireland to join the _Plantagenet_ as third lieutenant, and I
needn't tell you I never obeyed an order with more willing alacrity."

"And I don't think anything next to being made commander-in-chief right
off could have given me greater satisfaction," said Jack, who seldom
indulged in anything so nearly approaching a sentimental sp