on the right hand;
"I was just like him at that age myself. Let me draw this cork--it is
the bottle of the evening. None but my own fellows understand a cork,
and they seem to have got away somewhere. What the doose are they
about--why, halloa, Darling! What's the meaning of all this, at such a
time?"

"Well, my lord, you must judge for yourself," said the Admiral, who had
made his way quietly from the bottom of the table. "We know that false
alarms are plentiful. But this looks like business, from the paper it is
written on; and I know that old Dudgeon is as solid as myself. Vickers
the Coast-guard brought it in, from an officer whose horse was blown,
who had orders to get somehow to Stonnington."

"Is Vickers a knave, or a fool who is likely to be made the victim of a
very low joke? There are hundreds of jealous scoundrels eager to spoil
every patriotic gathering. Ah, this looks rather serious, though, if you
can vouch for the paper."

"I can vouch for the paper, my lord, and for Vickers; but not for
Dudgeon's signature. Of that I have no knowledge--though it looks right
enough, so far as I know. Shall I read it aloud, and let officers who
are not under my command judge for themselves, as I shall judge for
those I have the honour to command?"

The Lord-Lieutenant, with his cork just squeaking in the neck of the
bottle, nodded; and the Admiral, with officers crowding round, read
aloud as follows, part being in type, and part in manuscript:

"Commander of Coast-defence at Hythe, to Vice-Admiral Darling,
Springhaven.

"French fleet standing in, must have slipped Cornwallis. Do all you can.
Not a moment to lose.

(Signed) "BELLAMY DUDGEON."

"Well, it may be true, or it may be a lie," said the Marquis, pouring
carefully; "my opinion is the latter; but I have nothing to do with
it officially, according to the new arrangements. Every gentleman
must judge for himself. And I mean to abide by my own judgment, which
strongly recommends me to finish this bottle."

"Probably you are right enough; and in your place perhaps I should do
the same," the Admiral answered, quietly; "but be the alarm either true
or false, I am bound to act otherwise. All Naval Officers present will
be good enough to follow me, and prepare to rejoin if ordered. We shall
very soon know from the signal-point, unless fog has set in suddenly,
whether we are bound to beat a general alarm."

All the sons of the sea arose quietly, and were despa