ed the tar.

"For _next_ to nothing!" was the prompt reply. Meanwhile, those whose
appetites were not quite so urgent had distributed themselves about the
place, and were already busy with draughts, billiards, etcetera, while
those who were of more sedate and inquiring temperament were deep in the
columns of the English papers and magazines.

"I say, Fred Thorley, ain't it bang up?" remarked a sturdy little man,
through a huge slice of cake, with which he had just filled his mouth.

"Fuss-rate!" responded Fred, as he finished a cup of coffee at a draught
and called for more. "Didn't I tell you, Sam, that you'd like it better
than the native grog-shops?"

"If they'd on'y got bitter beer!" sighed Sam.

"They've got better beer," said his friend; "try some ginger-pop."

"No thankee. If I can't git it strong, let's at least have it hot.
But, I say, what's come o' the lobsters? Don't seem to be many about.
I thought this here Institoot was got up a-purpose for _them_.

"So it was, lad, includin' us; but you don't suppose that because _you_
are out on the spree, everybody else is. They're on dooty just now.
Wait a bit an' you'll see plenty of 'em afore long."

"Are all that come here Blue Lights?" asked Sam, with a somewhat doleful
visage.

"By no manner o' means," returned his friend, with a laugh; "tho' for
the matter o' that they wouldn't be worse men if they was, but many of
'em are no better than they should be, an' d'ee know, Sam, there are
some of 'em actually as great blackguards a'most as yourself!"

"There's some comfort in that anyhow," returned Sam, with a pleasant
smile, "for I hates to be pecooliar. By the way, Fred, p'r'aps they may
be able to give you some noos here, if you ax 'em, about your friend
Jack Molloy. _He_ was a Blue Light, wasn't he?"

"Not w'en I know'd 'im, but he was a fuss-rate seaman an' a good friend,
though he _was_ fond of his glass, like yourself, Sam."

It chanced that at this point Sergeant Hardy, in moving about the place,
taking profound interest in all that he saw, came within earshot of the
two friends, to whom he at once went up and introduced himself as a
friend of Jack Molloy.

"Indeed," said he, "Molloy and I fought pretty near to each other in
that last affair under General McNeill, so I can give you the latest
news of him."

"Can you, old man? Come, sit down here, an' let's have it then," said
Thorley. "Jack was an old messmate o' mine. What'll you tak