myself forth of my message?"

"For a wonder he has gone on shore," answered Green, "but he will be off
again soon; and, in the meantime, we will take good care of you; so come
down at once into the gun-room, and we shall have luncheon on the table
immediately."

Herr Groben was warmly received by the officers when they heard who he
was, and soon had out of him the whole history of the loves of
Lieutenant Higson and the fair Ivanowna. Lieutenant Mildmay expressed
his intention of writing it in verse; the doctor proposed their healths
during luncheon, in conjunction with that of the Queen of England and
the Emperor of Russia, now the best friends in the world. After
luncheon, as Higson did not appear, Herr Groben expressed a wish to go
round the ship, and Green at once offered to conduct him. As he was
going round the lower deck, he popped his head into the midshipmen's
berth, when, whom should he see seated directly before him but Tom
Rogers.

The recognition was mutual; Tom started up. "Oh, Herr Groben, I am
delighted to see you!" he exclaimed. "Do tell me, how is Miss
Feodorowna? Have you just come from there?"

"Not very long ago," answered Herr Groben; "and I can tell you they have
not forgotten you, and she told me if I saw you to give her very kind
remembrances."

"Is that all?" asked Tom.

"Of course," exclaimed Paddy Desmond, who was seated in the berth; "what
more could you expect from a young lady?"

"Then doesn't she care about me?" cried Tom, forgetting that several of
his messmates were within hearing, and that they were not likely to
forget his question.

"As to that I must be discreet," answered the old tutor, laughing; "if
you ever come back to Russia in peaceable guise, not in one of your
ships with big guns to batter down our forts, you may depend upon it.
Colonel Paskiewich and his family will be very happy to see you."

The conversation was cut short by Green, who had gone away, returning to
conduct Herr Groben into the gun-room. Soon after he was seated there,
Higson returned on board, little expecting whom he was to find. Though
he had never been known to exhibit the slightest signs of nervousness,
he looked excessively agitated on seeing the old tutor; who, after
telling him that he had lately come from the family of Colonel
Paskiewich, requested a private interview. The old German had evidently
something of importance to communicate beyond what he had told Green.
Higson's agit