t.

"Here is where we come when the sun is down, Bob. There is no finer
view, we flatter ourselves, anywhere in Gib. Here we receive our
guests, in the evening. We have only begun yet, but we mean to make
a perfect garden of it."

"It is splendid!" Bob said, as he walked round by the low parapet,
and gazed at the view in all directions; "and we can see what
everyone else is doing on their roofs, and no one can look down on
us--except from the rock over there, behind us, and there are no
houses there."

"No, the batteries commanding the neutral ground lie over that
crest, Bob. We are quite shut in, on two sides; but we make up for
it by the extent of our view, on the others. We are very lucky in
getting the place. A regiment went home in the transport that
brought us out. Gerald knew some of the officers, and one of them
had been staying here, and told Gerald of it; and we took it at
once. The other officers' wives are all quite jealous of me and,
though some of them have very nice quarters, it is admitted that,
as far as the view goes, this is by far the best. Besides, it is a
great thing being out of the town, and it does not take Gerald more
than three or four minutes longer to get down to the barracks.

"But now, let us go downstairs. I am sure you must want something
to eat, and we sha'n't have supper for another three hours."

"I dined at twelve," Bob said, "just before we rounded the point,
and I could certainly hold on until supper time Still, I daresay I
could eat something, now."

"Oh, it is only a snack! It is some stewed chicken and some fruit.
That won't spoil your supper, Bob?"

"You will be glad to hear, Bob," Captain O'Halloran said, as the
lad was eating his meal, "that I have secured the services of a
Spanish professor for you. He is to begin next Monday."

Bob's face fell.

"I don't see that there was need for such a hurry," he said,
ruefully, laying down his knife and fork. "I don't see there was
need for any hurry, at all. Besides, of course, I want to see the
place."

"You will be able to see a good deal of it, in four days, Bob; and
your time won't be entirely occupied, when you do begin. The days
are pretty long here, everyone gets up early.

"He is to come at seven o'clock in the morning. You have a cup of
coffee, and some bread and butter and fruit, before that. He will
go at nine, then we have breakfast. Then you will have your time to
yourself, till dinner at half past two. The