etimes. I shall
write to him, and tell him that you are there; and as your friend
Sankey is on board the Brilliant, it will be pleasant for both of
you.

"Only don't lead him into scrapes, Bob. Midshipmen are up to
mischief enough, on their own account."

"Everyone always seems to think I am getting into scrapes, admiral.
I don't think I get into more than other fellows."

"I rather think you do, Bob. Mr. Tulloch certainly intimated, to
me, that you had a remarkable talent that way, if in no other.
Besides, your face tells its own story. Pickle is marked upon it,
as plainly as if it were printed.

"Now you must have supper with us, at seven o'clock, and catch the
eight o'clock stage. You can stay until then, I hope?"

"Yes, sir. I told Mr. Medlin that I might not come back until the
last stage."

At parting, the admiral placed a case in Bob's hands.

"There, my lad, are a brace of pistols. You won't have any use for
them for some years to come, I hope; but if you stay out in Spain
and Portugal, they may prove useful. Those fellows are very handy
with their knives; and it is always well to be armed if you go
about, at night, among them. I should advise you to practise
shooting, whenever you get an opportunity. A pistol is an excellent
weapon, if you really know how to use it; but is of no use at all,
if you don't.

"Another thing is, you may get involved in affairs of honour. I
consider duelling to be a foolish practice, but it is no use one
person standing up against a crowd. It is the fashion, in our days,
to fight duels and, therefore, it is almost a necessity for a
gentleman to be able to shoot straight; besides, although you might
be able to avoid fighting a duel with any of your countrymen, there
is no possibility of getting out of it, if you become involved in a
quarrel with a foreigner. In that case, an Englishman who showed
the white feather would be a disgrace to his country.

"Another advantage of being a good shot--I mean a really good
shot--is that, if you get forced into an affair, and are desirous
of giving a lesson, but no more, to an opponent, you have it in
your power to wing him; whereas, if you are only a tolerably good
shot, you can't pick your spot, and may--to your lasting
regret--kill him.

"But all this is in the future, Bob. I have fought several duels,
myself, with those very pistols, and I am happy to say I have never
killed my man; and shall be glad to believe, Bob, that they w